


Ascending Aspects

by SparrowOfTheBlock101



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Friendship, Gen, Medical Inaccuracies, Other, Songs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-24
Updated: 2019-03-12
Packaged: 2019-08-07 00:57:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 97,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16398386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SparrowOfTheBlock101/pseuds/SparrowOfTheBlock101
Summary: Nanami Hikari, cousin of Nanami Haruka, takes her cousin's place at Saotome Academy after an incident prevents Haruka from going. Featuring false ships, true ships, a goat named Camel, an alpaca named Llama, and accidental wooings (seriously, Hikari just wanted to compose and sing, damn it). Author does not Uta no Prince-sama nor any related articles.





	1. One

Her heart was beating loudly in her chest as she watched, hands clasped against her chest. She could see the shadowy figures of her boys on the stage in the middle. The crowd had colored light sticks, matching the bracelets and necklaces she wore. A small gasp escaped her as there was a burst of fireworks.  _'Woah… The stagehands really went all out!'_

Shifting, she let her eyes rest on the moving forms of the members of STARISH. Her head bobbed to the beat, toes tapping as she leaned into the wall, completely focused on the performance in front of her.

Watching the boys sing and dance, the girl recalled the beginning of the year, how she only wanted to make music for that idol, to thank him for what he did (however unknowingly) for that girl. As that idol moved around the stage, a bright smile on his face, she got the feeling he more than knew that.

When the song finally came to a stop, she joined the cheers, casting the boys a wide grin despite the lights having gone low.

_'No matter what, for these boys, for her, I'll do my very best until the end!'_

* * *

With a grimace, she wiped away the snow falling on her face. _'Eesh, the things I do for her… Hayato-baka better be worth it, for heaven's sake.'_

Switching into a jog, she glanced quickly at the large TV screen in the plaza. "I have 45 minutes still, I can make it. Only a couple more blocks… Heavens, please don't make me go up any large staircases."

At the thought of missing the exam, the girl switched into a run, light eyes furrowed in determination.  _'Ruka-chan is unable to go to Saotome Academy, so I have to go in her place. It's only fair for all that she's done for me!'_

The streets blurred, the only time they were clear was when the teen stopped at the lights and when she had to slow to avoid other people. Eyes darting around, a huge smile formed on her face as she spotted the plaque declaring 'Saotome Academy' and the gate beside. Pushing her legs more, the girl almost body slammed one of the gate guards, a hand latching onto the gate.

"Sir, sir, am I late?" She gasped, bending over slightly.

The guard she nearly ran into stared at her in bewilderment as the other guard looked at his watch. "A couple minutes more and you would have been turned away."

Catching her breath, she grinned and fistpumped the air. "Totally worth the soreness than!" She cheered, earning amused looks from the guards.

"Do you know where to go?" He asked. At her nod, the guard added, "Make sure not to run, I don't think the gardners got all the ice covered in salt."

She nodded. "I'll be careful. I've been looking forward to this for so long, I'm not going to let it stop now. Thank you!" She bowed and quickly hurried up the path. _'Ahh, I'm going to need to buy a new umbrella. Of course, the little girl's smile is completely worth it.'_

Looking around, she saw a bunch of cars dropping other examinees. A lot of them she couldn't see clearly, but two stuck out, both boys.

One was a redhead, his hair bright against the snow. The other had long strawberry blond hair. Him, she almost tripped after spotting him.  _'The Jinguji scion?! Well, I guess even rich people want to become really famous.'_  Smiling to herself, she wondered as she entered after them into the building, stomping her feet to get rid of the excess snow.  _'I wonder if they'll be accepted, as well as me. That'd be cool, especially if they have nice tones and, well, are nice.'_

Looking around, she spotted a teacher, and after speaking with him, hurried to the classroom she'd be testing in. Taking a seat in the far back, she slid her coat and scarf onto the back of the chair. Her bag was placed to the side of the desk, a mechanical pencil and eraser placed on the desk. Linking her feet together, she straightened and faced forward, waiting for the examiner to pass out the test packets. The man began passing out stacks of booklets to the people in front as he explained the rules. She listened intently as she watched the people in front of her. Receiving the booklets, she placed one on the desk and passed the others back.

As soon as the examiner gave the word, she focused on the booklet, thinking fiercely to herself, _'Ganbatte!'_

* * *

Eyeing the goat with an exasperated air, she placed her hands on her hips as she bent over to stare the creature in the eye. "Alright, Camel, you listen well and you listen good. We've already done this dance a couple times now, so why don't you be a sweetheart like Llama and let me clean you?"

The goat looked away, letting out a loud, bland-sounding bleat. "Bla-ha-ha-hah."

Her brow twitched as she shifted, ready to lunge at the goat. "Are those fighting words?"

There was a laugh from the porch and the girl and goat turned their heads in the direction of Nanami Aiko. "Darling, forget about washing Camel for the moment."

"Eh?" The girl blinked and straightened. She was a bit bewildered as the older woman was usually insistent on having the animals clean and healthy. "Gran? Is something up?"

"You've got a letter from Saotome Academy," Aiko informed her granddaughter, smiling at the nervous look on her young face. "Want me to read it out loud?"

The girl flailed for a moment before nodding nervously, kneeling and tugging Camel close into a hug.

"Dear Nanami Hikari, I am pleased to inform you that you have been accepted as a full-time Composer and part-time Idol student…" The woman trailed off as she watched her granddaughter lose her mind in glee as she bounced around the small farmyard, Camel getting caught up in his owner's happiness as he bounced too, almost tripping Hikari a few times. Aiko read the rest of the letter, a wide smile forming as she looked over the list of requirements. "Hikari! That isn't all!"

The girl let out a loud happy laugh. "What else could there be?"

"Well, it says here that there's a uniform…." the woman answered, watching as the bouncing slowed, the joyful grin wavering slightly, "and girls have to wear skirts-"

"WHAT?!" Came the expected scream. Aiko watched in amusement as the girl tripped over Camel, unable to steady herself and-

**Splash!**

-landed in the bath she'd set up for Camel. Hikari spluttered as she wiped uselessly at her face, facing her grandmother with a panicked expression. "G-gran, that's not true is it?!"

The woman simply waved the paper in the air, chuckling when Camel jumped into the pool with his owner, soapy water smacking Hikari in the face again. "Sorry, darling, but I'm afraid it is."

A loud wail escaped Hikari as Camel splashed happily in the pool, unheeded by his owner's anguish.

* * *

"Hikari!" The girl turned her dark, peach colored head, smiling as she saw the redheaded girl, Shibuya Tomochika. "Hikari, we're in the same class together!"

They were at the opening ceremony, and Hikari couldn't be more excited to get started. The teen easily accepted the tackle-hug from Tomochika, squeezing the girl just as tightly. "What a relief! I was worried about not knowing anyone!"

Tomochika laughed. "I know, right? And you can call me Tomo-chan, ya know, since we'll be sharing a dorm."

A faint blush lit up Hikari's cheeks as she smiled apprehensively. "If you're sure."

They sat down and Hikari smiled when she noticed Tomochika looking into a compact mirror. _'That's right,'_  she recalled, _'Tomo-chan is going for a full Idol course. I wonder if those boys are going full Idol or Composer. I know the examiner said I was one of the few rare examinees going for a full course and half of another.'_

Straightening in her seat, Hikari watched the stage with the other students.

"Well, everyone, welcome to the Saotome Academy Entrance Ceremony," the announcer said, voice echoing through the speakers. "First, we have an address from the headmaster." The man looked around, a bit puzzled. "Ah, headmaster? Headmaster?"

Hikari frowned slightly as she and Tomochika looked around. "You don't think the headmaster would be late, would you?"

"Well," the redhead started, hesitant, "I don't think so, but he is Shining Saotome. Who knows how busy he is?"

"Mm…" Hikari shifted in her seat, twitching as a laugh echoed throughout the area.

"Ha ha ha ha," it was deep, Hikari noticed absently as she shifted in her chair. "Anyone who doesn't know love, don't even think to speak of songs! Just leave here at once!"

"Wha…?" Tomochika began, sharing a bewildered look with Hikari.

"Over there!" Hikari heard a boy call out, and almost in sync, the students turned to look at one of the towers. Squinting slightly, her head tilted in confusion at the sight of a dark figure at the top.  _'Dracula?'_

"The beating of a heart is the first source of music!" The headmaster boomed, still laughing slightly. There was a loud chorus of panicked yells and screams as the man abruptly lunged off the tower, carrying something with him. Hikari noticed the weird mask as she clutched Tomochika's hands.

A slight noise of relief escaped her as she noticed a glint, slumping and loosening her grip on Tomochika. At the redhead's glance, she simply said, "Wires."

The man swooped through the air and hovered a bit in the air above the crowd and stage. People were calming down a bit, though some girls were still squealing. "Yes, my friends. The headmaster is me, Shining Saotome!" Every time he bounced in the air, there was a faint  **twang!**  Music began playing, something that was lively as the man grinned at them. "Welcome to Saotome Academy, or rather, to this shining world!"

He whirled in the cloak after posing, releasing the staff and robe as he dropped onto the stage, striking a quick pose before dancing around. "Music is love!"

Hikari blinked a couple times, spotting the mic that appeared out of nowhere. "What the heck?" She wondered.

"Come now, soul! Enshrine it! Put your whole soul into the songs!" He crowed, picking up the mic and spinning it like a baton before slamming it into the stage. "Make your life bloom! Shine ever brighter, people!"

Hikari stared with an open mouth as he went up in the air again, with  _more_  wires attached to him. "Congratulations on your acceptance here," he added, making like he was walking in the air as he left, confetti poppers going off. "Thank you."

"That's the headmaster?" The girls shared bewildered, but excited looks as they focused on the stage again.

* * *

After the ceremony, they headed to the classroom they'd be spending a lot of time in. "I guess the school owes its existence to the headmaster?" Hikari half-stated, half-asked.

The redhead smiled and shook her head. "Kind of, it's more the super megahit song he sang. 'Owing to Love.' From what I heard, it sold 20 million CDs. It may have been more though."

"20 million?" Hikari echoed, eyes widening as she perched slightly on the desk, hands on both sides of her. "Woah."

Tomochika nodded as she closed her eyes. "Either way, from first to last, this school is first class." She flapped a hand, trying to emphasize it. Both reeled back when a redheaded boy suddenly moved into their space.

"Hey!" Hikari and Tomochika both shifted away, eyeing the teen with a wary look. "You're that girl, right?!"

He was looking at Hikari, who frowned at him in confusion. "What?" She asked, poking him backwards with her index finger against his chest as she straightened.

A slight blush came onto his face as he stepped back, rubbing his head. "Sorry. I just wanted to know if you were the girl doing the full Composer course and half the Idol."

Tomochika raised an eyebrow while Hikari shrugged. "Yeah, I passed the exam for both of them." She paused and frowned. "The examiners talked about it?"

He flailed his hands slightly. "Ah, only a bit. They just mentioned a girl who signed up for both. They stopped talking when they saw me though…" The boy wilted.

"Cherry?" Tomochika cut in, pointing at the redhead, who got a look of confusion on his face.

"Mhmm," Hikari hummed before holding a hand out to him. "Nanami Hikari."

"A-ah," he stammered, taking her hand and shaking it. "Ittoki Otoya, Idol course. And you?" Ittoki looked at Tomochika.

The girl smiled and shook his hand. "Shibuya Tomochika, Idol course. You can call me Tomo-chan if you want."

Ittoki grinned at them. "You can call me Otoya."

"Any variation of Hikari except Ri-chan is fine," the peach-haired girl said, hands linked together. Hikari got a slight smirk on her face as she snickered. At their looks, she motioned to their hair. "We're all redheads of a sort."

The other two snickered at the realization.

"ELIZABETH!" The shout startled the trio and they turned, blanching at the sight of a blond-haired teen rushing towards them. Hikari paled further when she saw his eyes on her. Panic filled her when she saw him leap into the air.

"Wha-?!" Not getting the chance to move, a hand caught her arm, spinning her out of the way. Chartreuse green eyes landed on cyan blue as Hikari steadied herself and watched in bemusement as the blue-haired boy elbowed Ittoki into the blond's way.

Hikari cringed as Ittoki yelped as he was tackled, the blond teen wrapped around him like some sort of octopus. "Get off of me!" The redhead cried, eyes shut as he leaned away from the blond as much as he could without falling.

The blond let out a slight noise before abruptly releasing Ittoki. The redhead flailed and Hikari, shoved past her savior and the blond, snagging Ittoki's arm while Tomochika caught the other one after seeing Hikari move. "Alright, Otoya?" Tomochika asked as the girls steadied him.

"U-un, arigato," he offered them both a shaky smile, which they returned before looking at the strangers among their group.

The blond was the first one she took in, wanting to know what he looked like before he went mental. He was actually nice-looking, with his green eyes and blond hair-  _no, Hikari, he just tried to tackle you, no_ \- with glasses over his eyes. He was also quite a bit taller than her. The blue-haired teen was also a bit taller than her, a beauty mark resting beneath his right eye.  _'Isn't he the Hijirikawa scion? There really are a lot of rich people here.'_

Catching his eyes, she nodded her thanks and he tilted his head in acknowledgement. Meanwhile, Tomochika snapped at the blond.

"What was that about?" She almost hissed, eyes narrowed at the blond. "Someone could've gotten hurt!"

Hikari shifted slightly so she could easily move between her friends and the blond.

Said blond smiled a bit sheepishly at them, lifting a hand in Hikari's direction. "I beg your pardon. It's just, she looks so much like Elizabeth, I lost myself for a moment."

"E-Eli…?" Tomochika stared at him blankly while Ittoki frowned, looking between Hikari and the blond.

Said girl frowned. "I look like someone from another country?" She voiced the question they were all wondering.

"No," he said, shaking his head before smiling brightly. "Our family dog."

Hikari blinked before scowling heavily at him. "I  _beg_  your pardon?"

The blond recoiled at the sudden hostility coming from the girl, Ittoki and Tomochika sharing startled looks while the Hijirikawa scion watched with a blank face. "W-what..?"

"Is that you're round-about way of calling me a bitch?" Hikari moved closer to him, ignoring the way Tomochika and Ittoki were holding her shoulders. "I mean, a female dog is called a bitch after all." She bristled.

The blond shook his head fervently, arms forming an 'X' as he answered. "That's not what I mean at all! I just meant that you're adorable and tiny like Elizabeth! Ah, I'm Shinomiya Natsuki? I love things that are small and cute!"

Hikari eyed his hand before leaning back and crossing her arms over her chest. "Nanami Hikari. I have a goat who loves sampling clothes." She paused and eyed his body before smirking. "Camel especially loves silk."

The boy blanched and stared at her speechlessly. Tomochika snorted, covering her mouth. Hikari glanced at her. "Are you saying you have a goat named Camel?"

Hikari nodded and Ittoki choked on a laugh. "Why?"

"So I can say with a straight face that I got me a damn Camel," she replied before looking at Hijirikawa.

The boy blinked before turning his face away. "I'm Hijirikawa Masato."

Hikari hummed then asked carefully, "Do you mind if I call you Masato-kun?"

He glanced at her for a moment and nodded hesitantly. Ittoki butted in, bumping his shoulder lightly with Tomochika, earning a face from her. He simply grinned before looking at the blond. "Since you're Natsuki, can I call you 'Na-chan'?"

The blond blinked before pointing to himself. "Na-chan?" He echoed, staring for a moment before beaming. "'Na-chan' is cute, isn't it?"

Hikari and Tomochika shared looks before smiling. Hikari huffed a slight laugh while Tomochika giggled, bumping shoulders with Hikari. "And think, it's just morning."

Hikari let out a slight hum. "Guess that means we have more people to meet. Fun."

Tomochika snickered at her dry tone.

"Ne, Masato-kun," Shinomiya began, looking at him, "Mind if I call you 'Masa-chan'?

"Whatever you want," the bluenet sighed, turning and walking back to his seat.

Giggling slightly, Tomochika noted, "Masato-kun is kinda cute, ne?"

"Eeeh?" Hikari drew out as they all headed back to their seats. "Is Tomo-chan a gold digger, by any chance?"

The girl flapped a hand at her with a small pout. "That isn't what I meant and you know it."

The peach-haired girl simply giggled and winked at the darker redhead mischievously as she sat back down.

_**Snap!** _

They looked over at the windows blinking as the curtains closed. Multi colored lights lit up the ceiling and Hikari looked towards the front, hearing a bright and cheery, "Good morning-pu!"

It was a pink-haired man (Hikari would have mistaken him for a woman if it hadn't been for an ad on a plaza TV screen he was in with short hair) in a pastel-like yellow sweater dress with dark leggings, ankle boots finishing the look. "Okay, okay, minna, take your seats!" He called, smiling cheerfully at them as he clapped his hands slightly.

Hikari gave him a look over as she faced forward, other girls exclaiming over him.  _'Tsukimiya Ringo, a crossdressing idol… I still can't believe he's a man. No man has really nice legs like that- dammit, Hikari, he's a teacher!'_

She didn't realize that she'd zoned out and ignored his words, flinching when he abruptly slammed his palms on her desk. "Oi, are you even listening to me?" Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the dangerously lethal, but really cute pout on his face.

Flailing on the inside, Hikari blurted out the first thing that popped into her mind. "You're too cute to be a man!"

Ringo pulled back, baffled, while Hikari stared at him with wide eyes. A dark blush burned its way onto her face and she simply buried her face into her desk, letting out a strained whimper when she heard Tomochika burst into a fit of giggles.

Hikari had to resist the urge to run when she heard other classmates begin to giggle.

* * *

"Waah, between the entrance ceremony and homeroom, there's a strong impression!" Tomochika exclaimed, stretching her arms up as they entered the Great Hall. "Almost too much to take in!"

"Speak for yourself," Hikari sighed, rubbing her cheeks. "I didn't get any of it."

The dark redhead giggled, taking a look around so she wouldn't see Hikari pout. "And this place is huge. Hope I don't get lost."

"That's what people said about the Titanic," the other girl drawled.

Tomochika's shoulders shook before she faced the front. "Heh, anyway, what are you gonna eat? I'm gonna get a hamburger."

Hikari hummed, eyeing the options. "Maybe something with chicken?" She voiced aloud. "Ooh, they have fries!"

"Oh yeah, can't forget the card." Tomochika said, almost making Hikari run into her as she pulled a card from her pocket.

"Oh, yes, almost forgot about that." They shared faces at that before smiling. Hikari startled when she felt something bump her shoulder from the back. Looking over her shoulder, she frowned.

It had been (yet another) blond teen. He wore a hat, almost the same height as her, not in the usual uniform, and a spiked bangle on his arm. The teen offered a sheepish smile before turning his head and scowling at a tall, strawberry blond haired male. "Oi, Ren, watch it! I almost knocked her over!"

Hikari sweated slightly at the description.  _'He didn't bump me that hard… ah! It's the Jinguji scion! Apricot-san!'_

Said male smiled apologetically, and dare she say it, a bit flirty at her. "Sorry about that, little lamb. I didn't mean for Ochibi-chan to bump into you."

 _'Little lamb?'_  she thought in bemusement, shifting away from the smaller blond as he exploded at the taller blond.

"Don't call me Ochibi-chan!" The smaller blond snapped. "My name is Kurusu Syo!"

Her brows went up at their interactions, eyes watching as the taller blond turned to her, smile becoming more flirtatious. "I wonder," he mused aloud, "do you think us meeting is fate?"

Hikari adopted a flat expression as Tomochika appeared beside her, a puzzled expression on the girl's face. Hikari offered her an apologetic smile as they heard someone cut in.

"A flirt as always, I see," Masato said as he walked up behind the girls. Watching him, Hikari saw something on his face before disappearing quickly behind a stoic mask. Sharing a look with Tomochika, the other girl had clearly seen it, too.

"And as always, you're a stiff," Jinguji retorted with ease as he walked closer.

"Apricot-san is Jinguji Ren?" Tomochika asked softly, leaning closer to Hikari. At her nod, Tomochika hummed before murmuring, "I wonder what their history is?"

"Dunno… Jinguji has a lot of fans, though," Hikari noted as the two scions spoke to each other. "And it's only the first day."

"Yeah… it's like a cat fight," Tomochika mumbled, leaning into Hikari slightly.

Hikari nodded her head. "Yeah, and apparently, I'm going to be the one clawed."

"Eh? Why?"

Hikari pointed to the tray in Tomochika's hands. "We need food, too."

"Oh, right. Want me to grab a few seats?"

"Yes, please."

Tomochika slipped away while Hikari moved forward and latched on Masato's arm, surprising the boys. "Masato-kun, have you gotten your dinner, yet?"

"Huh?" The bluenet, stared at her in confusion. "Ah, no. Why-?"

Not letting him get the chance to speak or squirm away, Hikari tugged him back to the line. Absently, she noticed he wasn't fighting her much. "Great! That means we can eat together with Tomo-chan! I was thinking of getting yakitori and fries. Maybe a lemonade?"

"Do I get a chance to speak?" Masato managed to cut in, stopping behind her in line.

She craned her head to grin at him impishly. "Only if you can! Carrying on, do you think we have to come back for desserts? Maybe I should get green tea? So many options to choose…"

Masato chuckled, lightly tugging his arm free as she bounced in her spot. "I would think we'd have to come back after for dessert or go to the school store. If you're planning on tea, why not wagashi?"

Hikari paused in thought before shaking her head and continuing to bounce. "Nah, I'd feel like I'd need to participate in a tea ceremony."

"Is that a bad thing?" Masato asked as they moved up a bit.

"Huh?" Hikari looked at him in confusion and shook her head. "No, but I wasn't really raised in a fully formal setting, so it'd be a bit weird and hard for me."

"I see…" He murmured. "I think I'm know what I'm getting."

"Oh?" Hikari voiced, glancing at him and noticing how Jinguji and Kurusu were a few people behind them, staring. Ignoring them, she turned to the server and smiled, pulling her card out. "Hi, can I get a serving of yakitori and fries, with lemonade?"

The woman nodded, pressing buttons on the device she was using. "May I get your card?"

Hikari passed it over, asking curiously, "Do we have to come back for dessert?"

Another nod. "You'd have to order it with your meal and come back to receive it. What would you like for dessert?" Hikari retrieved her card.

"A small kakigori dish with orange slices and tapioca pearls, please." She waited a bit before reaching up for her tray, smiling at the woman. "See you in fifteen! Masato-kun, I'll wait for you."

The woman smiled back, glancing at Masato. Hikari moved out of the way, heading to the back and bypassing Jinguji quickly. She didn't have to wait long for the boy to join her, a slight frown on her face. Looking over, she could see Jinguji staring after the other scion. Absently shifting to get between them, Hikari pointed out Tomochika for the bluenet.

They made their way easily through the crowd and seats. Hikari spotted Otoya with Shinomiya. Straightening to her full height, she saw a head of bluish-black past them and alone. Strangely, it seemed familiar to Hikari, but she couldn't place it. Pushing it to the side, Hikari set her tray down across the empty seat beside Tomochika. She sat down next to Masato.

The redhead looked between them, chewing on a fry. Tomochika swallowed and leaned towards Masato, catching their attention. "Ne, Masato-kun, are rich people parties as boring as they seem?"

Masato blinked at her in surprise before his face relaxed and he set about eating his casual kaiseki meal, answering lightly, "They are exactly as they seem."

Hikari frowned as she picked up a skewer. "How come you have melon bread?"

He glanced at her, swallowing a bite of rice. "They come prepackaged."

Hikari huffed, a bit miffed at the thought of having to get up when he didn't have to. "That's not fair at all."

Tomochika snickered at her, earning a pointed finger from the other girl.

* * *

Sticking her tongue out, Hikari carefully pressed the pin through the poster and into the corkboard she'd placed on the wall. Checking that it was smooth, she heard Tomochika sigh gustily and a small pompf. Pulling away from the wall, Hikari looked over at Tomochika and smiled at how her face was smooshed against the bed, resting her hands on her pillow. "You okay, Tomo-chan?"

"Today wore me out…" the redhead mumbled.

Hikari hummed before focusing on the masculine features on the poster, eyes narrowing and lips turning up into a determined grin.  _'I'll do my best, Ruka-chan!'_

"Say, Kari-chan," Hikari blinked at the new nickname as she turned to face Tomochika. The redhead was sitting up and clutching a pillow to her chest. "About the poster…"

Hikari let a crooked smile form. "Let me guess, you want to know why I've got a poster of Hayato?"

The redhead nodded, resting her chin on the pillow. "You don't really seem like the kind of girl to like an idol like him."

"That's because it's not me who likes him," Hikari said, smile warming. "It's my cousin."

"Cousin?"

"Yeah, a while back, Ruka-chan had gone into the city from the country, which to her was like a major culture shock with the huge amount of people and pollution. Her health didn't help." Hikari grimaced, remembering how Haruka had said she'd nearly had a panic attack in the middle of the city. "Hayato was the one to bring her back from the brink. She said she wanted to come here, to learn to compose for him but there was an incident and she was unable. I came in her place."

Tomochika furrowed her brows. "I'm sorry, this may be because I don't have any relative close to me, but I don't really understand."

"What, why I would come here for her?" At Tomochika's nod, she shrugged. "Ruka-chan is like my sister. Hayato gave her a purpose to leave the countryside, one that she couldn't fulfil. Ruka-chan… she's special. Since I've got the ability to compose, I decided to come here to find a way to thank Hayato. I just need to figure out what kind of songs would fit a comedic and frivolous idol." Hikari sighed and slumped against the wall. "I'm more for songs that aren't comedic though… I'm so screwed, Tomo-chan!"

With a slight wail, Hikari dropped onto her bed. Tomochika giggled. "I'm sure you'll do okay. I mean, he's got some songs from the time of his debut that were stirring."

"Hmm… maybe." Hikari sat up. "Do you know where to find those CDs? Ruka-chan could only get the recent few."

"I have no idea, you may have to use the internet," the redhead answered, dropping her pillow and standing up with a stretch. Tomochika offered her a soft smile. "You're lucky, though, to have a grip on a goal you can believe in."

Hikari smiled lightly, glancing at the poster. "Un." Her shoulders drooped after a moment. "We should probably unpack since we have class tomorrow." They shared looks of despair.

"I'm going to focus on my clothes… at least we only need a notebook and pencil for the first week." Tomochika sighed.

Hikari nodded in agreement. "Not to mention bath stuff. I've also got a few picture frames to put up along with whatever odds and ends I might have packed."

The two set out, finding the boxes containing what they'd need for at least the next week. Hikari could hear Tomochika muttering grumpily as she shifted through her boxes, letting out happy noises when she found something.

Hikari herself quickly undressed and got into her lazy clothes (which also functioned as sleepwear). Eye mask settled around her neck, she pulled books out on composing and history of composers. There was the device she had for her music (it was a baby version of a mixing console from her uncle) which she set down on the left side of her desk. The middle, Hikari decided, would be for when she was writing down the songs. Thumping her writing utensils on the left, she also squished in some of the notebooks she'd already doodled in beside the printed books. Eyeing the shelf, she snapped her fingers and looked for the box containing the handkerchiefs Haruka and Aiko had made her. She found not only the box, but also the cord for the console. She stared at it in bewilderment, treating it like a snake.  _'I could have sworn that was in my electronic box.'_

"Hey, Kari-chan!" The peach-haired girl looked at the redhead, her head tilted. Tomochika looked done and Hikari's lips twitched. "You want a drink?"

"Drink?" The girl echoed, looking at the cord and then beneath the desk. Hikari grimaced. "Yes, please."

The redhead bounced to her feet, abruptly cheerful. "Great, I'll buy us something!"

Hikari watched in mild amusement as the redhead ran from the invisible hellhounds. Dropping the cord on top of the desk, Hikari got up from her kneeling position and snagged a handkerchief, falling onto her bed and pressing it to her face, eyes closing. Breathing in, she could smell hay and lavender, with hints of faint bluebell and just plain grass. Everything that reminded her of home. Opening her eyes, she stared at the ceiling in thought. _'I wonder if Tomo-chan would be okay if I asked Gran to send us flowers for our balcony?'_

"Mrrow."

Hikari blinked at the ceiling. _'... please tell me Tomo-chan doesn't have a creepy sounding cat doll. Please, please, please…'_

Rolling off the bed, Hikari landed awkwardly on her feet and hands, handkerchief left on the bed. She eyed Tomochika's stuff, frowning when she noticed nothing shaped like a cat the redhead's side of the room. Turning her head, she looked at the boxes before shrugging and turning to her bed and freezing. Heart skipping a few beats, Hikari stared into bright green eyes settled in a dark face. A scream caught in her throat until she realised it was just a normal, black cat. Legs giving out, she plopped on the floor and swore at the cat. "Little shit…"

The cat tilted it's head at her, green eyes unblinking.

"Where the hell did you come from, Akuma-chan?" She pondered, staring at it as it glanced at her handkerchief. Her jaw dropped as it stared between her and the fabric piece. She breathed out, "You wouldn't…"

Stepping lightly on her bed, the cat seemed to ask, 'Whatcha gonna do 'bout it?'

The girl shifted, eyes narrowing as the cat bit the handkerchief, lifting it up. Hikari lunged, the cat dodged and went quickly towards the balcony. She squawked in protest, watching blankly as the cat disappeared from side. Resisting the urge to screech, Hikari straightened and shot out of the room, heading for the stairs. Thankful she'd shoved her hair into a bun, Hikari launched herself over the railing, twisting and bending her knees as she landed on a step. Hurrying towards the entrance, Hikari took the stone steps two at a time.

Exiting the building, Hikari looked around, slipping her hoodie on quickly. To the left, she caught sight of white. Head moving, Hikari noticed with slight relief that it was the cat. Jogging quickly towards the cat, it moved off towards the large pond. Hikari followed it in the direction of the gazebo. Breathing carefully, Hikari stopped and looked around. "Little Akuma-chan, where are you?" The words were accidentally laced with danger, not that Hikari cared.

Spotting white, a relieved, huge smile spread as she squatted and plucked it from the ground. Folding it gently, she slid it into her hoodie pocket.

_**Rustle rustle rustle** _

Flinching, Hikari lifted her head and glanced towards the bushes. Tugging her hood up over her head, Hikari watched as the boy from earlier, with the black-blue hair, walked from the bushes. Verdant eyes widened as they took in the side profile.  _'No way… he already debuted, right?'_

He knelt beside the water. Hikari glanced around, double-checking that no one was nearby before focusing carefully on him. She walked closer, lowering her hood (no need to surprise him), letting her feet make noise on the dirt path and grass. "Hayato-san?"

Her voice was light, but he clearly heard her since he lifted his head and faced her. His features resembled Hayato's really closely, despite the features being stoic.

Hikari paused a few meters away. "Are you Hayato-san?"

His eyes closed and he shifted his head away. "I'm Ichinose Tokiya." It was stated flatly, cold. Hikari stepped back with a small frown, which only deepened as he stood and continued. "Please refrain from confusing me with that shallow dullard, Hayato."

Light brows furrowed as she stared at him in bewilderment, body tense. But Hikari didn't get the chance to say anything further.

"HA HA HA HA!"

Even Ichinose was caught off guard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahahaha, would you look at that, yet another plot bunny! (Author spies something off to the side, recognizes it as a KnB plunny- Author kicks it away forcefully) So, as it turns out, Author really shouldn't read fanfics containing a fandom not related to the one being currently written (Author finds it hard to regret). Expect sporadic updates for everything


	2. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

 

The girl bristled, reminding Tokiya of a startled cat, as they both looked around. His lips turned down as his eyes moved around the area. First this girl appears calling him Hayato, now the headmaster. He just wanted some peace to end his day and he couldn't find that in his room with an energetic roommate.

He looked up when he heard Saotome say, "Wrong!"

The girl was looking towards the bushes with a wary look on her face, flinching when the redheaded man spun ( _literally spun, just_ _ **why**_ _?_ ) up behind her, both teens facing him. "That's wrong-o!"

"Headmaster?" Tokiya heard her say, idly wondering if she was gaping at the man. "How long have you been here?"

"Me?" The man drawled in english, a weird smile on his face, hands lifting up. "I've been here all along.

' _Because that isn't weird at all,'_  Tokiya thought, staring at the man with a stoic mask.

"Then you heard everything," the girl said, arms shifting.

The man beamed. "You could say that." Ignoring their looks, he spun, arms spreading out. "He is not Hayato!"

The girl twitched, obviously wanting to say something, but instead let the man continue. Tokiya was a bit impressed, he would have snapped at the man already.

"He's Hayato's younger twin brother," the man said, "Ichinose Tokiya."

Tokiya turned away then, uncaring of their interactions.

"His voice is different, sure," she spoke, oblivious to the frown forming on Tokiya's face, "and he may be his younger twin, but he's still got the same pitch as Hayato-san."

"That's because they're identical twins." Tokiya could hear the man's voice coming closer, probably to get between them. "Nothing off about that, is there?"

Tokiya cut in there, wanting to hide the truth a bit longer. "It's a pain… being mistaken for that frivolous idol."

"What?" The girl said, sounding bewildered.

He glanced over at her. Restraining the urge to step away from Saotome when he saw how close the man was, Tokiya focused on the girl as she stepped closer. Green eyes were focused on him intently, like she was trying to dig out his secrets. Absently, he spotted a sheep sleep mask around her neck. ' _Why a sheep? Why not just have it plain?'_

Brushing the thought away, he stared at her dully. "He's a goofball just looking for attention. I want something more serious and prefer to not being mistaken for the shallow dullard that's my brother." The words were bitter, as he knew that that Hayato was actually him at the time of his first debut.

"So what?" Her words were sharp, and he narrowed his eyes slightly as she began stepping closer, completely ignoring Saotome. "So what if he's a 'shallow dullard'?" Her tone was mocking and he straightened to his full height, staring down at her silently. "From what I can tell, he's got the ability to help people more than you do."

"Excuse me?"

"You're not excused," she said dismissively, eyes bright with anger. Tokiya was a bit taken off guard with the sight. "And honestly, I couldn't care less if you hate your brother. But I will say this…"

Faster than he could react, the girl was catching him by the collar and pulling him close, noses almost brushing. His breathing hitched slightly at the intent in her eyes.

"Insult the boy who helped my cousin when I couldn't in front of me again and you'll be in a world of hurt."

His eyes widened and he steadied himself when she released him. Nodding to Saotome, the girl said plainly, "Have a nice night, Headmaster." Turning on her heel, she jogged back towards the dorm.

"Hmm," the man hummed, and Tokiya glanced over to see the man watching the girl. "Ringo was right, she is interesting."

Rubbing absently at his sternum, Tokiya glanced after the girl. ' _That isn't the word I'd use…'_

* * *

"Hikari, where were you?" Tomochika asked, hands resting on her waist. "I was worried when I saw you weren't here."

"S-sorry," Hikari said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck. She tugged her handkerchief out of her pocket. "A little Akuma-chan stole this, so I went after it."

"Akuma-chan?" Was echoed, magenta eyes squinted at verdant eyes.

"Ah, a cat, I mean," Hikari replied. "I thought I ran into Hayato-"

"Ehh?" Tomochika's eyes widened and she leaned towards Hikari, who was shaking her head, a deep frown on her face.

"-but it was actually his twin." Hikari scowled and rubbed her face at the thought of Ichinose Tokiya. "He's a pain in the ass, I'll tell you, even if he does have a nice face."

Tomochika shook her head and went to grab two cups for their juice. "But there's your chance, right?"

"Hm?" Hikari tilted her head as she nibbled on the straw she'd snagged.

Winking at her, Tomochika placed their cups on the table and grabbed her straw. "If you get chummy with him, you'd be able to meet Hayato yourself through him!"

Coughing slightly, Hikari took a sip and averted her eyes. "That would have been a possibility… but I'm afraid I'm unable to do that."

"Eh?" Seeing she wasn't going to get a response, the redhead shrugged and poked the girl on the forehead. "Well, we start classes officially tomorrow, so let's do our best!"

Hikari smiled up at her and nodded. "Hai, hai."

* * *

Hikari shifted when she heard the faint ringtone of her phone going off. Reaching out for it blindly, she shoved the mask down towards her neck and squinted at the time on the phone.

5:00

Making a face as she turned it off, Hikari tried to run her hand through her hair, but stopped when her fingers ran into knots. ' _I don't even move around that much, it's not fair.'_

Looking over at her roommate, Hikari smiled slightly at seeing the redhead cuddle her teddy bear. She got free of her blankets and off the bed. Setting the phone down, Hikari searched for her running clothes and sneakers. She dressed quickly and grabbed her headphones from her electronic box. Hikari stepped out of the room quickly and left the dorms.

Pausing on the steps, she did a swift warm-up and, after putting her headphones in and pressing play, began her morning run. The songs "Zero to Hero," "Go the Distance," "I'll Make a Man Out of You," and "Hall of Fame" were her way of time-keeping (and staying motivated). She went along the walkway, taking note of minor landmarks so she could head back to her dorm easily. Spotting the school gate, she turned back and headed to the dorms again as "Go the Distance" came to an end. She reached the dorms halfway through "Hall of Flame" and took her time going through the cool-down. Standing with a stretch, Hikari spotted someone else jogging and blinked when she saw it was an older man. He seemed to have spotted her as well and nodded to her. She returned it before jogging into the dorms.

Reaching her room, Hikari checked the time, smiling slightly when she saw the run was done in her usual time and looked over at Tomochika when the redhead's alarm went off. She laughed when the other girl smacked it to the floor, which seemed to startle Tomochika.

Tomochika squinted at her as she sat up, bemused. "Kari-chan?"

"Good morning, Tomo-chan. I'm gonna take a quick shower, okay? Wanna head to breakfast after?" Hikari asked, sliding her shoes off and grabbing her uniform and shower stuff.

"Shower? Breakfast?" Tomochika echoed, dazed.

Hikari's lip twitched. "I'll let you wake up. Don't forget, we have classes!"

"Ughh…" Tomochika groaned, laying back down as Hikari left, chuckling.

* * *

Hikari sat in her seat, listening to Ringo. Silently, she wondered if the yellow sweater dress was the man's usual outfit. Either way, he looked good despite it being morning. ' _No, Hikari, those thoughts have to stay-in-the-box.'_

"Good morning!" The man chirped. "Everyone here has survived the fierce entrance exam battle… But! You're real battle begins today!"

Hikari tilted her head and leaned back in her seat, twirling her pencil absently. ' _Must be getting some kind of huge assignment then.'_

Ringo continued. "People in the idol course, raise your hands!"

She blinked, wondering if she'd have to talk with Ringo about that afterwards. ' _Then again, I mainly prefer to be a composer…'_

"Then people in the musical composition course…" he trailed off as Hikari raised her hand along with other classmates, eyes narrowing in determination. "I see. So we've got those who aim to be idols and those who wish to be composers for said idols." His hands moved in demonstration. "You'll be studying together in order to acquaint yourselves with each other, but at the end of the first term, the idol course students and composition students will pair up!" He winked when he spoke.

Hikari's brows went up and she could hear the others make noises of surprise.

"Mmhmm!" Ringo nodded with a bright smile. "And your partner won't have to come from A class! Your partner can be from whichever class if it's to your liking! Your graduation audition will be performed in that pairing and the path to a major debut will be opened to the victorious pair!"

Her mouth formed a small 'O' and she put her pencil down. ' _I guess this means we'll have to go through different partners if we want. Stars, give me one that's at least tolerable!'_

"Until the official pairs are decided at the end of first term," he continued, looking around the class, "Get to know a lot of people and search for your perfect partner! And one more thing! There's a very, very important rule!"

Hikari tugged her hair, eyes locked on the crossdresser, his index finger in the air and a serious look on his face.

"That rule is romance is absolutely forbidden!"

' _Romance?'_  Hikari thought, pausing her tugging. ' _That… kinda makes sense. If a pair falls in love, but break up later on, it could get nasty. Especially if they work at the same agency.'_

"Dating between the sexes is outlawed!" Ringo stated, completely dropping his happy-go-lucky exterior to get his point across. "Offenders will be expelled immediately, no matter what the reason! That is the academy's rule!"

Doing a one eighty turn, the man clapped his hands lightly together and smiled slightly. "Now, let's start with checking everybody's capabilities," he held his fist up in the air," by having a recording test!"

Hikari blinked and absently wondered if she could learn to change her emotions like that… ' _Wait, test?'_  She blinked again.

Classmates erupted, speaking in hope and excitement. Hikari herself leaned forwards and rested her arm on her desk, glancing at Tomochika as she pressed a curled finger against her lips. They shared determined looks.

Ringo placed his hands on the podium and leaned on them. "I'm going to pair you up for this one time only. Idol course kids will write the lyrics and the composer kids will write the music."

Hikari hummed softly. ' _Once again, something that makes sense. This'll be fun.'_

"I randomly drew lots to decide on your partner. After all, luck is also a part of show business." The man chuckled, winked, and blew a kiss.

Hikari, vainly ignoring the actions, glanced at the papers. Eyes moving up and down the columns, a relieved grin formed. "Otoya-kun? That's good…" She glanced at Ringo, tilting her head in silent question after he spotted her (she couldn't help the tiny blush that formed).

Getting a small, almost imperceptible nod, Hikari glanced over at Otoya as she turned on her chair. Both redheads shared bright grins and she offered a fist. "Let's look forward to it!"

He bumped his fist against hers as he stood. "Let's!"

Ringo caught everyone's attention again. "Okay, as a reference point, let's listen to the best tune from last year. Accompanying on piano will be… Nanami Hikari-chan!"

Blinking, Hikari stared at him in surprise before nodding. Standing, she walked to the back, hearing Ringo stepping towards the back. Ringo slipped past the piano and reached into a cabinet, pulling out a few sheets.

Hikari accepted them, absently hearing Ringo speak as she looked them over. "Please start from letter A, after the 16th bar of the intro cut."

"Letter A, 16th intro cut," she echoed in a mumble, looking it over. As she did, Hikari focused hard, zoning everything out (admittedly she could still hear her classmates and Ringo). Setting it on the piano, she breathed and concentrated on shifting the lines to a graph in her mind...

* * *

Natsuki watched as Nanami walked past him to the back. His eyes were on her and he bit his lip. Honestly, he didn't mean for her to think he was calling her a bitch (privately, he figured her thought process was completely different than his and a lot of others, recalling Otoya and Shibuya's startled looks). But she really was adorable. Especially when she blushed after yesterday with Ringo.

The blond shifted his body in his seat so he could look at the two. Nanami took the papers from Ringo and appeared to zone out. Her lips moved, but he couldn't hear anything. Natsuki frowned in concern when she didn't begin to play immediately. Peering closer, he saw her eyes moving from side to side.

"Is something wrong?" Ringo asked lightly, peering at the girl. Nanami didn't seem to notice. Natsuki frowned deeper, brows furrowing.

"Maybe she doesn't know how to read the music?" A student wondered.

"No way!" Another voiced.

"Seriously?"

"I can't believe it!"

"Why?"

"Don't tell me she can't even play the piano..."

Natsuki looked around, seeing Shibuya and Otoya exchanging worried looks. Glancing at Masato, he saw the bluenet saw gazing plainly at the girl. He turned back around, eyes landing on Nanami.

Said girl was snapped out of her weird daze and had sharp eyes focused firmly on the paper. Her lips were pursed as she began tapping a key. " _Moderato_ ," her lips formed silently.

_**Dong dong dong** _

Natsuki watched silently as she began playing the music. The others were all falling silent, speechless. Ringo was also caught off-guard, a bit surprised, too, despite having called her up.

When it ended, Nanami blinked and glanced around after noticing no one was doing anything and just staring at her. "Ano…" Natsuki couldn't help smiling at seeing her blush.

"Nanami-chan!" He called out, offering her a bright grin when she turned her eyes on him. "That was lovely!"

She blinked and offered him a small smile, rubbing the back of her head and her face turning a bit redder. "So it was okay then?"

He nodded and held up two thumbs up. "Better than!"

"W-wait!" A student blurted out, and they all glanced at the guy. "Are you saying you can play the piano?!"

Nanami frowned at him and nodded. "I would hope so, considering... I'll freely admit to being more partial to mixing consoles… why the hell are you all so surprised? I wouldn't be here if I couldn't at least play the piano!"

Natsuki blinked at her snappish tone and winced. ' _They made her mad… and she was so cute after being complimented… admittedly she does remind me of an angry kitten right now.'_

* * *

Hikari scowled as she laid on the bench, legs hanging off as her bag was set beneath the bench. Her left hand trailed in the grass, which she tugged at. "Bunch of assholes, doubting Gran's teaching ability." She blatantly ignored the fact that it was raining and could catch a cold, instead hoping it'd help cool her anger off, no matter how figuratively it'd have to be.

Her eyes were closed, so she didn't see Otoya coming up, but she could hear his shoes on the grass and dirt. Hikari blinked up at him, sitting up and catching the jacket he'd placed on her. "Otoya-kun?"

"You'll catch cold," he said matter of factly and just like that, all the anger left her, withering at the sight of his soft smile.

She retrieved her bag and followed him to the gazebo from the day before. He stopped and stood by a pillar while she took a seat, pulling her legs up on it. Hikari let her eyes linger on him through her bangs.  _'Ittoki Otoya… he's really kind…'_

"Hikari-chan, are you going to be okay?" Otoya asked, glancing over his shoulder at her. "With sheet music, I mean."

A sigh escaped her. "I think so? I know the bare bones of it, but any composing I've done has always been done with my console…" She closed her eyes and tugged his jacket closer.

"It'll be alright, I tell you!" Otoya suddenly exclaimed, beaming brightly at a newly startled Hikari. "I've never written lyrics before myself!"

Hikari couldn't help letting a helpless giggle loose, grinning up at him wryly. "Almost the same then, huh?" Another giggle escaped.

"About the same boat!" He chirped, then turned serious. "Hikari-chan, you came here because you wanted to do something, too, right?"

She nodded, slipping her legs down and wondering where he was going. "Un."

"In that case," he held up a fist, "let's give it our all."

Her eyes widened slightly.

Otoya smiled and closed his eyes. "I've been singing for as long as I can remember. Even if you're feeling blue, singing cheers you up, doesn't it? So… when I debut, I hope someone is encouraged by my songs." He opened his eyes and focused on Hikari. "Anyway, for now, I'll try to write lyrics for one verse by tomorrow."

"Then I'll study up on music scores, try for at least one staff," Hikari said, standing up and passing his jacket back.

"Un! Let's do our best," he replied, reluctantly accepting the jacket.

Hikari smiled at him and followed behind him as they headed back, her towards the library and him towards the dorms, both intent on getting something done.

* * *

Hikari flipped through the notes she'd gathered over the last few hours, some from what her relatives had told her and most from the library books, and rubbed her face. Eyes sliding over to the mixing console, she swiftly shook her head and smacked her cheeks.

"You alright, Kari-chan?" She heard Tomochika ask and Hikari turned to look at her roommate helplessly.

"The more I think, the more I have no idea to put on paper…" She motioned to the console. "And I'm trying it old school, but I keep getting tempted."

Tomochika chuckled. "I just put down whatever popped into my head. Why don't you just toy with the console a bit?"

"Usually I would, but I might forget to connect it to my computer or phone."

"Well, don't think too hard on it, alright?"

Hikari smiled and nodded in assurance, watching the other girl return to her reading. Breathing in, Hikari turned back around. Spotting the mixing console again, she hesitated.

' _Sweet, helpful, energetic. Otoya-kun has to be the nicest boy I've ever met. Protective, encouraging, understanding. As of right now, writing a song for him is my goal.'_

With that running in her mind, Hikari grabbed the wire needed for to connect her phone to the console; snagging the headphones from the drawer as well. Hikari fixed her braid and slid the headphones around her neck after plugging everything in. Checking that her phone was fully charged, she made sure the recording app was set to start a new file every thirty minutes. That done, Hikari tugged her sleep mask and put it on, headphones going over her ears. Then she pressed the 'on' button and hit shuffle, letting any song that was featuring slide its way to her ears so she could try and remix a new tune, but not plagiarized.

Resting her face on her palms, she zoned out. Hikari went through what fit and didn't fit Otoya and his thoughts. Something similar to a doze befell her, head drooping. Hikari never noticed how time and the music slipped away from her. At one point, something brushed her face and she sighed, thinking of home. "Camel, Llama…."

Eyes opening behind the mask, she hit pause and, lifting her headphones, shoved the mask down. Peeking at the time, she grimaced when she saw it was almost midnight. Disconnecting her phone, Hikari stood and stretched her body. Sliding her shoes on firmly and checking that Tomochika was still asleep, she left the room. Walking through the halls, Hikari slid the recordings to her console app, letting the graphs appear.

Any that had non-Otoya attributes went into the disposal bin (mainly rap and rock, because as much as she liked him, they didn't really fit). Any that had energy slid into a folder labeled 'Project 1- Otoya' so she could have him go through with her - she'd even sneak into his dorm if she had to.

Looking up, she blinked in silent bemusement as she realized she'd reached the bridge, feet seemingly directed to the gazebo again. Her lips twitched upwards at the realization.

Hikari thought about Otoya as she reached the dock by the gazebo. Sliding her shoes and socks off, Hikari shoved her phone back in her pocket, music on pause and the back burner as she sat down, letting her feet dangle in the water. She slumped backwards on the wooden planks, removing her headphones and dropping them off by the grass. Gazing at the moon, she wondered what her relatives would say about her problem. ' _Ruka-chan never really learned sheet music so she wouldn't be able to help. Kai-baka… he'd say to go out and do something, but I don't have the ability to do that. Oyaji…'_ A dark scowl formed at the thought of the old man. ' _He'd say to marry Otoya-kun. Great-grandbaby wanting old man! I'm still not of age! Otoya-kun definitely isn't a marriage candidate!'_

Forcing all thoughts of her family away, she focused her eyes on the stars, pointing out silently the stars. Absently, she began humming a few notes that had stuck out a bit to her.

"That's a nice tune."

Blinking at the moon, Hikari shifted her head and smiled slightly when she spotted Otoya. "Otoya-kun? You think?"

He nodded energetically before holding his hands up sheepishly. "S-sorry. But I do like that tune! Somehow, I feel it right here." A blush was forming on his cheeks, a hand pressed to his chest.

Hikari was a bit surprised, a slight blush coming to her own cheeks. "I was just humming random notes I heard, though…"

"It was still a brilliant form of composing!" He said, walking closer.

Verdant eyes widened as she sat up, turning to face him. "You mean to say you're satisfied with just a tiny bit? I don't think that could even fill a staff!"

He knelt beside her, grinning. "I'm satisfied with it! I mean, not fully because it isn't finished, but I'm sure we can get it in no time at all!"

Her heart pounded a bit harder. ' _He can't be real. Otoya-kun is so much like her it hurts.'_

"I actually came out here because I couldn't think of anything. But thanks to your tune just now, I can come up with something!" He leaned back on his heels and looked up in thought. "Let's see…

 **Let's hope the futures that we make  
** **That ride this melody overlap each other**   **today** …"

Hikari thought of the small tune she hummed, mentally placing it alongside his lyrics. "It sound good… Ooh, wait!" Lunging past a startled Otoya, she grabbed her headphones and tugged them closer. Pulling her phone out, she got on her console app. Twisting the graph with her thumbs, she sat crisscross and held it out to him. "Sing it again?"

With a puzzled look, he did after she pressed record. After he finished, Hikari stopped it and saved it then pressed play. It was the same as when he first sang it, but with what she hummed in the background.

Red eyes widening, Otoya sort of flailed. "That's sounds so cool! Hikari-chan, let's continue it together!"

She laughed and said, "Of course!"

* * *

It took a few days, but they finished it just a day before the test.

"You've got the lyrics memorized, right? Even though we mixed some of them up?" Hikari asked, all but fluttering around the practice room.

Otoya laughed, catching her by her shoulders and spinning her onto the piano bench. "For the last time, Hikari-chan, I've got this! We've got this! Settle down, acting like a busy bee won't make it suddenly mess up, ya know."

Exasperated eyes settled on him as Hikari folded her arms. She pouted. "This is the first time I've ever had anyone aside from relatives listen to my music! Half the songs I made are hidden somewhere back home."

He simply grinned at her. "Breathe, Hikari-chan. Why don't you go for a run? Calm down."

She glowered at him for a moment before giving in. "Fine, but I want it known that I'm doing this with extreme prejudice."

"Hai, hai," he said, standing and packing up his guitar. "I think I'm going to find Masa and Na-chan. I wanna hear what they did."

Hikari stood and grabbed her bag, heading past him to the door. Shooting over her shoulder, "Don't make a fly of yourself!"

"Huh? Wha- Hey! Hikari-chan, that's mean!" Otoya called out. "I'm not a pest!"

"Whatever you say, Otoya-kun!" Swiftly leaving the room, Hikari wondered which path she would take. ' _I kind of want to climb the trees, actually. Maybe around the gazebo?'_  She moved into a slight jog.

* * *

Bouncing beside Ringo, Hikari clutched the clipboard in her arms tightly. To her side, she heard a deep chuckle. Hikari glanced at the ginger-haired man beside Ringo, the same man she kept seeing on her morning runs. His name was Hyuga Ryuya and a former idol. She squinted at him, but didn't stop bouncing.

He offered her a slight smile. "Nervous much?"

Hikari smirked at him. "Of course. Who wouldn't be, considering this is a test."

Ringo chuckled as he looked down at her. "That may be true, but none have ever bounced unless they were the one singing."

Letting out a small hmph, Hikari focused on Otoya as he began to sing. She flailed a hand at the teachers, shushing them. Easily ignoring the silent shaking of theirs, Hikari watched as Otoya sang with a bright smile. Her own smile was forming as she listened.

**Carried on this melody created by two,**   
**it seems like the future is overlapping with today.**   
**Firmly without changing, like this phrase,**   
**I don't want to let this go.**

**We two who've stumbled and fallen will continue on**   
**towards tomorrow.**   
**If you're not here, even the things that lie before me**   
**are full of noise.**

**Let's ask God to stop time.**   
**Time Leap & Feed Back, jeez!**   
**Though I've already let out a sigh,**   
**I can't turn away, I won't turn away from your eyes!**

**With a full-throttle smile, let's aim at tomorrow.**   
**Make a 1000% spirited peace sign!**   
**I'll say it this time, that two-word phrase.**   
**My heart just can't help but fly!**   
**I'm captivated by you.**

Seeing him glance at her, she grinned and nodded her head. Hikari's heart began to beat fast as the music played in the rooms.

**Sometimes we smile, and sometimes we fight.**   
**Let's search for that sound!**   
**We must have met by chance. This True music is for the two of us alone!**   
**It's so exciting!**

**No matter how small it may be,**   
**Make Song & Believe Song. That's right!**   
**With the memories we've made,**   
**If it's the two of us, anything can become song!**

**We'll start running from here. Even if we're clumsy, it's ok.**   
**After it clears up, make a good-weather peace sign!**   
**Cross over the world, and perhaps the universe!**   
**Aren't we connected by rock?**   
**Believe in me!**

**We'll decide on the stage!**   
**For the two of us alone, make a peace sign!**

**With a full-throttle smile, let's aim at tomorrow.**   
**Make a 1000% spirited peace sign!**   
**I'll say it this time, that two-word phrase.**   
**My heart just can't help but fly!**

**… Hey! These feelings… are overflowing**   
**I'll make tomorrow with you**

Her heart slowed as the song came to an end. Getting the signal from the man at the huge mixing console, Otoya removed the headphones and practically bounced into the room, glowing with his excitement. As soon as he got close, Hikari easily slid the clipboard into Ringo's arms and launched herself at Otoya. "That was brilliant, Otoya-kun!"

The redhead laughed, catching her with ease and spun, hugging her back. "It was all thanks to your music, Hikari-chan!"

Shaking her head, Hikari pulled back, catching his hands in hers and squeezing. "No way! It was your lyrics that brought it to life!"

A laugh ended their banter before it could continue and they looked at their teachers. Ringo was smiling at them brightly. "For your first song, it was great. You two did a great job."

"Thank you!" They chorused, sharing bright smiles. Otoya continued as Ryuya motioned them out of the room. "Does this mean we're free to go?"

At the twin nods, he smiled at Hikari. "Want to go for a run?"

"Eehh?" Hikari blinked at him, a teasing look on her face. "You mean you want to do something other than soccer?"

His nose scrunched. "Just because I like soccer doesn't mean I hate any other sport!"

"Baseball," she deadpanned stopping a bit away from the recording studio.

"Baseball doesn't count!" He snapped, bristling in anger. Otoya was about to continue when music began playing.

* * *

_"Hey, brother, do you still believe in one another?_   
_Hey, sister, do you still believe in love, I wonder?_   
_Oh, if the sky comes falling down, for you,_   
_There's nothing in this world I wouldn't do."_

Ryuya raised a brow when he heard the words float in the air.

"Sorry," the lone girl said, an apologetic tone with her voice. His eyes narrowed as she tugged a phone from a pocket inside her jacket. He shared a look with Ringo. "Hel-"

"HIKARI-CHAAAAN!" The three males reeled back in surprise at the sudden scream from the phone. Nanami herself squealed and tossed the phone in the area, making her scramble to catch it. Ryuya swiftly reached forward and caught it, passing it back. "Here."

"O-Oyaji?!" She stammered into the phone after receiving it, giving him a thankful nod.

"Oyaji?" Ittoki echoed, staring at the composer. Ryuya shared another look with Ringo.

Leaning closer, Ringo asked quietly, "Isn't there a free day tomorrow?"

Ryuya nodded, watching curiously as the girl turned red, at first in embarrassment then anger.

Nanami turned to Ittoki, a slight scowl on her face and cheeks red. "Otoya-kun, do you mind if I take a raincheck on that run?"

The redhead blinked but nodded. "Sure, that's fine."

Offering the teachers a nod, Nanami turned away and began walking at a fast pace. Ryuya saw a dark scowl forming on her face.

"No, Oyaji, that was my teacher and classmate- What? No, you senile old bat, I'm not mentioning that to them!" The girl snapped, voice getting louder in fury. "The hell they're marriage candidates! Go bug Kai-baka and Shiori-nee for great-grandbabies! Better yet, ask Aunt Rin! I'm sure she'd say yes… Yes, I'm trying to get you killed, stop trying to MARRY US OFF, DAMMIT!"

Ryuya stared after the teen blankly as she disappeared behind a corner. "Did she just say marriage candidate?"

"M-marriage?!" He glanced at Ittoki, who'd squeaked at the word.

"I'm more interested in the ringtone," Ringo cut in, finger pressed to his lip as he gazed after their student.

"Eh?" Ittoki stared at the pinket in confusion.

Ringo looked between them, blue eyes bright in curiosity (Ryuya carefully shifted away, remembering the last time he got that look- he never did get the flour out of his clothes). "It sounded like it was Nanami-chan singing."

Ryuya glanced at the other teacher, running the lyrics in his head. "Yes, it did…"

Ittoki spoke then. "Hikari-chan did say that she had more work she hasn't shared."

"Oh-ho?" Ringo said, a gleam coming to his eye. Ryuya twitched and Ittoki looked like he regretted everything as he stared at the pink-haired teacher. "I wonder if I could have her sing once, then? She is partially in the idol course..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I keep the canon characters in character? First song is from S1E2. Second song is "Hey, Brother" by Avicii.


	3. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

 

Hikari bounced on her toes slightly, looking for her name on the board. "N, n, n, n," she mumbled, finger pressed to her lips. Her eyes lit up as she spotted her name. There was an 87 in the score column. "There!"

"We did it!" She heard Tomochika squeal, and turning and holding her arms out, the peach-haired girl easily caught the red head. Tomochika leaned back, smiling widely. "We both passed!"

"This is great!" Hugging each other tightly, they laughed in glee. After a moment they pulled away from each other, struggling to contain their laughs.

"Hikari-chan!" Perking up and washing away the last of her laughter, Hikari smiled brightly at the sight of the male redhead.

"Otoya-kun!"

"We did it! We did it, didn't we?!"

She nodded as he came to a stop beside her. "Yeah! And it's all thanks to our work!"

He laughed, clenching his fists and pumping one up. "Now I'm even more driven to do this! I'm all fired up!"

Hikari pressed her hands to her mouth, shaking with giggles as Tomochika leaned closer. "Maybe too much," the girl teased.

Otoya froze before lowering his arm, smiling sheepishly.

"Listen, everyone!" Ringo called out, clapping to get everyone's attention. The redhead trio turned to look at the teachers. "For those who didn't pass, you'll retake the test next week!"

"This time," Ryuya began, face serious, a complete opposite to Ringo, "Take the bull by the horns and do everything you can to pass."

"Before class, kids who are in the idol course, pick up training materials at the office, okay?" Ringo smiled sweetly, eyes closed (Hikari fought down the blush with zeal).

Hikari smiled at her friends. "See you two at class?"

"Hai!" Otoya said.

Tomochika winked at her. "Don't miss us too much, ne?"

Wiggling her brows, Hikari stuck out her tongue. "Who would miss you two?"

Otoya gasped, holding his chest in mock pain. "I see how it is… I guess this means I can tell Tomo-chan what happened after the recording test! C'mon, Tomo-chan!"

Hikari stared after them blankly, Tomochika asking Otoya what he meant. "Eh?"

* * *

Putting her phone on silent, Hikari pouted. "Otoya-kun is so mean, now Tomo-chan's going to tease me… stupid Oyaji…"

About to round a corner, she slid her phone into the pocket she'd sewn as she heard footsteps. Hikari stared at Ichinose a bit surprised but stopped in front of him, bowing a full ninety degree bow. "Ichinose-san, I wish to apologize for my actions and attitude the last time we met. I was rude." Straightening, she waited for him to speak.

"What's the point of apologizing now?" He asked coolly. She didn't flinch as he leveled dark eyes on her. "Do you intend to curry favor with me so you can meet my brother?"

"No." She spoke flatly, verdant eyes dark. "I'd never lower myself to that level. Why would I when you clearly have it easier than I?" Hikari walked past him, adding, "The person you're compared to is still alive, after all." As she moved by him, she could feel his eyes on her back.

Waiting until she was around the corner, Hikari stopped and leaned against the wall, face buried in her hands as she sighed. "Damn it, Hikari, why'd you have to go and say that? Now you probably got him curious." Taking a moment to just breathe. Releasing another sigh, Hikari stood straight and pulled her braid free, undoing it and sticking it up into a messy bun. She walked slow as she did. "Oh well, it was going to come out one way or another, better it was the guy already related to a celebrity…" She trailed off as she neared the classroom, shaking her head and shoving the thought in a box for another day.

Hikari let her arms down as she entered the classroom, slowing as she the other composer students fall silent and stare at her. She followed one girl's gaze to the board, and what she saw made first one brow then the other raie. Crossing her arms as a slight smirk made its way onto her face, Hikari crossed her arms and cocked her hip as she read the board, hearing Otoya and Tomochika enter the room. A stray thought ran through her head.

"I'm glad you passed, too, Tomo-chan," Otoya was saying.

"You're tellin' me!" They both fell silent, obviously seeing the board as Hikari came to a decision.

Tugging her phone out, Hikari took a picture, snickering slightly as she sent it to her family's group chat, adding a caption. ' _Look! My first haters! And I haven't even debuted yet!'_

"H-Hikari-chan?" Otoya questioned.

Said girl offered him a smirk as she went to erase the board, glancing at her phone as it buzzed. ' _MY GRANDBABY'S DOING SO WELL! I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!'_

Rolling her eyes, Hikari turned the device off. She didn't say anything to her friends as others came in, Ringo right behind. "Morning-pu!"

Placing the eraser down, Hikari passed over her phone to an unimpressed pinket. A nervous smile formed. "Sorry, sensei. I wanted to draw a flower for you, but…"

Ringo shook his head, curls flying, and motioned her away and placed the phone in his desk. "I'll give it back at the end of class."

Hikari nodded and headed to her seat, ignoring the bewildered stares. Sitting, she stared at Ringo. ' _Why'd he have a strange look in his face?'_

"I'll give you your next song for homework today," he began, waving his hand around and rustling the papers he had in his grasp. Hikari's landed on them in curiosity before flicking back to his face. "For students who didn't do well before, I'm giving you a second chance."

Hikari tilted her head when Ringo called on her. "Yes, sensei?" She stood, holding her hands neatly in front of her.

"Here, if you please," the crossdresser passed her a few music sheets.

The girl nodded, turning around and walking to the piano, looking through the staffs and tempo markers. ' _Allegro moderato,'_  she thought. "Childish," she breathed, side-eyeing a girl who tried sticking her foot out. She noted the embarrassed blush forming on her classmate's cheeks.

Reaching the piano, she set the sheets down, putting them side-by-side (after checking they weren't double sided). Hikari stilled, spotting the title and then the singer. Verdant eyes rose and met aquamarine. Ringo was smiling calmly, but his eyes were earnest and curious.

' _He knows.'_

It reverberated in her mind as she began playing the old song on autopilot. Hikari's heart was in her throat, the urge to scream rising. She shoved both down firmly, along with the yearning to flee. Her eyes never left his, expression turning blank.

It felt like hours, but was only a few minutes, and the song ended. Blinking, she lowered her eyes and stared numbly at the name.

"Thank you, Nanami-chan," Ringo said. Hikari didn't look at him. "You may return to your seat."

She did, gathering the sheets and walking down the aisle, head down. Hikari passed the music sheets back when she reached him and went to her seat, unbothered by the stares on her. Eyes focused hard on the wooden grains making up the desk, everything around her disappeared as she zoned out. The girl completely missed the lesson (she couldn't find anything in her to care) and only reacted when the bell rang. When it did, she blinked and realized her eyes were watery, but no tears had fallen.

Impervious to her friends trying to get her attention, Hikari stood and tucked her chair in, walking quickly to the door, even ignoring Ringo's call to her. Passing through the door, she shifted into a run and bolted from the room, arms pumping and legs burning from the sudden force. It was when she almost slammed into someone that the first tear slid free.

Hikari looked up into the startled face of Ichinose. "Sorry," she croaked, swiping the tear away and shooting past him. Later, she'd have a giggling fit at the look of panic he had when he saw her tears.

For now, she simply ran to the field she'd seen a sheep flock at. Absently amazed that she hadn't tripped or ran into anything, Hikari slowed to a stop, sitting a few meters away from one of the sheep. Her face buried into her legs, trying to collect herself. ' _I bet this was karma for finding out Ichinose is Hayato's brother. It's fair, I guess, but did it have to be Ringo? And his eyes… he must have figured it out from after the test. Wonder if he's her fan…'_

A strangled laugh escaped her and she sat up straight, wiping away the tears. A hand moved up to pull her hair from the tie, which went around her wrist and shook the strands so they hung loosely, her bangs reaching past her eyes at full length. Hikari looked over when she heard a "mrrow."

Her eyes widened before narrowing. "Well, well, if it isn't Akuma-chan. Come to steal something else from me?"

The black cat meowed before stepping closer and brushing against her arms. She sighed and ran a hand along it's back. "Might as get some bad luck. Maybe it'll switch to good… are you hungry? I can feel your teeth, Akuma-chan." Not letting it duck away, Hikari tugged it into her arms loosely, making sure if it wanted to leave, it could. Eyes slipping lower, she realized it was male. Standing, she let it perch on her shoulders. "Make sure you don't move, I wouldn't want to drop you."

Hikari made her way to Saotomate, petting the cat. Said feline was happily rubbing his cheek against her shoulder and she could feel whiskers lightly touching her cheek and neck. ' _Must resist the urge to scratch… I'm so weak against animals, Gran would be proud.'_

Reaching the store, she stepped in and made her way to the animal aisle. A small hum escaped her as she looked the options over, rubbing her face against the top of Akuma's head. Perusing the options, she selected a bag and went through the ingredients, recalling what her grandmother said about cats needing. "You better not be a picky eater," she mumbled into black fur. She got a small purr in response. A scowl formed as she straightened. Turning to head to check out, Hikari blinked at Masato, who was eyeing a calligraphy brush at the end. Probably feeling her gaze, he looked over.

She walked a bit closer, unsure if he was allergic to cats. "Hey, Masato-kun." The teen nodded a greeting, eyeing Akuma with a curious look. Seeing it, she shook her shoulder, making the cat growl lightly. "Don't be mean, say hi, Akuma-chan."

"Mrrow?" Was all the cat let out, looking around before staring at Masato.

"You…" Masato began, earning her eyes on him. "Really are an animal magnet, aren't you?"

Her eyes widened slightly when she realized he wasn't bringing up her running from the room. Hikari smiled softly. "Just a little."

* * *

"I swear on everything I know, if you even think about wasting it,  _I will skin you_ ," Hikari growled, staring hard at the cat. The cat meowed, but did eat the food she'd poured out.

Masato looked her over carefully, twirling the brush in his hands absentmindedly. The girl's eyes were slightly red from what he could see through her hair, which was usually held back. He turned his eyes to the pond. "I won't ask if you're okay… but will you be?"

Hikari was silent. "Over time, yeah… I wasn't expecting Ringo-sensei to have me play that song."

"You know the composer?" He asked, cautious.

"The singer," she answered quietly. Masato looked at her. Hikari was watching the cat. "She was my great-aunt."

"Hikari-san," he began, unsure if she really wanted to tell him. "You don't have to say anything until you're ready."

Her green-yellow eyes focused on him and she smiled softly. "Thank you."

The heads lifted at the sound of a saxophone. Masato lips twitched slightly, something Hikari noticed. "Do you know the musician?"

"... yes. It's my roommate, Jinguji Ren," he answered, averting his eyes and schooling his face.

"Ah," she hummed, before murmuring, "It doesn't have passion. Jinguji-san must have been pressing random keys. I wonder if his fangirls noticed… probably not, they seem to care more for his looks than anything." Glancing at her, he realized she was slowly returning to her usual self; she had a scowl on her face. "I wonder if I seemed this bad at the beginning of the school year with Ringo-sensei. He calls everyone by their given names after all…"

Masato chuckled softly, a bit off guard. His cheeks heated when Hikari looked at him in surprise. He cleared his throat, glancing at the cat. "So, will you keep him?"

"No," she finally said. "I think I'll just leave a bowl of food and water on the balcony."

"Balcony?" He repeated, looking at her.

Hikari blinked at him. "Yeah, Tomo-chan and I have a balcony. Don't you?"

The bluenet shook his head. "Only one huge window."

"Huh…" she suddenly laughed. "What if, when Headmaster first planned the Academy, he put the blueprints on a wall and threw darts at random rooms to decide which ones would have balconies and ones that'd have windows?"

Masato smiled slightly as he tilted his head. "Considering who the headmaster is, I can see it." He looked around. "We should probably head back to the dorms."

She copied him, sighing slightly. "Yeah, I guess so…"

Remembering what he'd meant to give her earlier, he slid a hand into his jacket pocket. "Oh, Hikari-san, here." He handed her phone back. "Tomochika-san, Otoya-san, and Shinomiya-san were to worried to grab this for you."

"Oh!" Her eyes were wide as she accepted it. "Thanks, I forgot about it." She cringed. "I hope my family didn't blow up my inbox."

Masato and Akuma watched curiously as she turned it on. She was treating it like a snake and Masato hid a smile when Akuma batted at the device. Her finger swiped the password in, uncaring that he was watching. They both jumped when it began playing a ringtone. Akuma's back curved.

Hikari glanced at Masato before carefully tapping her phone. "15 missed calls, 12 voicemails, 18 texts… that's not as bad as I expected." She glanced at Masato again. "Wanna see one of the Nanami family's conversations?"

He eyed her warily before slowly nodding. "Sure."

She opened the conversation and moved closer so she could hold the phone between them. Akuma hopped onto his knees and sniffed at the phone.

 **From: the Baby Animal**   
*Insert picture*  
' _Look! My first haters! And I haven't even debuted yet!'_

He looked at her strangely. She shrugged. "Half my family is in the entertainment business. We start weird contests between each other. Scroll up when you need to."

Shaking his head, Masato continued.

 **From: Crazy Old Bat**   
' _MY GRANDBABY'S DOING SO WELL! I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!'_

 **From: Kai-baka**   
' _Wahaha, my little cousin is growing up so fast! *Sniffs*_

 **From: Female Crossdresser**   
' _The only one I could believe is favoritism. Who's your teacher again? Ringo-senpai, right?'_

 **From: Aunty Rin**   
' _The only connections you have are music staffs.'_

 **From: Uncle Haruto**   
' _Congratulations, little one. Continue beating them!'_

 **From: Uncle Haruto**   
' _Also, Kai, Oyaji, if I hear either of you yell one more time, I'm confiscating your candy'_

 **From: Kai-baka**   
' _WHAT'_

 **From: Kai-baka**   
' _DAD, WHY'_

 **From: Crazy Old Bat**   
' _SON-IN-LAW, NO'_

 **From: Aunty Noriko**   
' _Husband, yes. I can hear you from my office!'_

 **From: Crazy Old Bat**   
' _So?'_

 **From: Aunty Noriko**   
' _MY OFFICE IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUILDING'_

 **From: Kai-baka**   
' _And….?'_

 **From: Uncle Haruto**   
' _We can and will keep you away from the 4th floor. Don't test us'_

 **From: Aunty Rin**   
' _Ignoring your bickering, doesn't Hikari-chan have class?'_

 **From: Aunty Noriko**   
' _Oh, dear. Sorry, love!'_

 **From: Kai-baka**   
' _... uh, oops?'_

 **From: Crazy Old Bat**   
' _SORRY, HIKARI-CHAN! I'M JUST OVERFLOWING WITH PRIDE FOR YOU!_

 **From: Female Crossdresser**   
' _STUFF IT, GEEZER! SOME OF US HAVE WORK, DAMMIT!'_

Masato's eyebrows were up and he glanced at her. "Your family…" he began, but stopped. Her lips were twitching. "Is unique."

She giggled, putting her phone away. "That's just over text," Hikari said, gathering the trash and standing. "We're worse in person."

He could only shake his head, blinking when Akuma suddenly hopped off the bench and ran off. "That cat…" He looked at her curiously.

A shrug. "He isn't technically mine. Anyway back to the dorms, now? I think we may have missed dinner." She looked around and Masato did as well.

"I believe so… time went by fast," he stood up and fell into step with her as they walked. "I guess I'll have to get something from the commons kitchen."

"Me too… I should probably message Tomo-chan and Otoya-kun. I hope I didn't worry them too much…" She looked down with a frown on her face.

He didn't like that look on her face. Bumping her lightly, Masato asked softly, "You're family doesn't care gender roles, does it?"

Hikari looked at him in confusion. "Uh, not really. When Shiori-nee said she wanted to become a boy for a movie role, Aunty Rin cheered her on despite being a bit old-fashioned."

"Then you wouldn't mind escorting me to the boys dorms?" He questioned, peering down at her.

A slow smile. "I wouldn't mind at all." She held her arm out in the men's traditional pose and he looped his arm through, not minding the slight awkwardness of the position.

They walked in comfortable silence. In no time at all, they arrived at the dorm. Masato stared curiously as a boy left the dorm, hunched over and panting. The duo stopped.

"Is… Is that Kurusu Syo?" Hikari asked, releasing his arm and leaning forward a bit.

He copied her, frowning. "I believe so. He's the only smallest male in the dorm at the moment."

"What is he… What the hell?" Blinking at the sudden curse, he looked at Hikari in confusion before following her gaze. His blue eyes widened. "Is that a parachute?!"

Masato could only watch speechlessly as a figure with a parachute floated towards Kurusu and hold an arm out. He couldn't tell the details fully… "Is that Shinomiya?"

They watched in bewilderment. "Masato-kun…" Hikari began, flinching at the scream that left Kurusu. "I think I'm going to go…"

"Ah."

She bolted and once again, he didn't blame her.

* * *

"-san. Hikari-san, wake up."

She groaned and buried her face further into her arms, cheek pressed against something cool. "Nooo…."

"Hikari-san." She growled at the persistent voice, raising her head. She blinked at Masato in puzzlement. "Hikari-san, you missed class."

"Eh?" She rubbed her face and looked around. "Practice room…"

Masato asked, "Hikari-san, are you okay?" He was worried.

Hikari smiled weakly at him, touching the sleep mask and headphones around her neck. "A-ah… I forgot I came here yesterday. Or was it early morning?" She frowning, blinking against the light.

"Why'd you come here?" he sounded bewildered.

"I got the sudden urge to songwrite and we don't have a lot of room available in our room," she motioned to the random papers she'd put down everywhere. "Did you say I missed class?"

"Yes. I came to look for you."

"Thank you." She smiled up at him

"If you don't mind…" he hesitated and she tilted her head curiously. "What did you come up with? And when did you come here?"

"I think… maybe 4:00? I didn't really look at the clock. And sure, why not." Hikari motioned for him to sit in one of the spare chairs around the room, waiting for him to sit. A deep breath in and she was playing

 _"Trippin' out_  
_Spinnin' around_  
_I'm underground, I fell down_  
_Yeah, I fell down_

 _I'm freakin' out_  
_So where am I now?_  
_Upside down_  
_And I can't stop it now_  
_It can't stop me now,_  
_Oh_

 _I, I'll get by_  
_I, I'll survive_  
_When the world's crashin' down_  
_When I fall and hit the ground_  
_I will turn myself around_  
_Don't you try to stop it!_  
_I, I won't cry_

 _I found myself (myself) in Wonderland_  
_Get back on my feet again_  
_Is this real? (Is this real?)_  
_Is it pretend? (Is it pretend?)_  
_I'll take (I'll take) a stand (A stand) until (Until) the end_

 _I, I'll get by_  
_I, I'll survive_  
_When the world's crashin' down_  
_When I fall and hit the ground_  
_I will turn myself around_  
_Don't you try to stop me!_  
_I, I won't cry_

 _I, I'll get by_  
_I, I'll survive_  
_When the world's crashin' down_  
_When I fall and hit the ground_  
_I will turn myself around_  
_Don't you try to stop me!_  
_I, and I won't cry."_

She peeked at him nervously, relaxing when she saw his faint smile. "I don't know what happened with you yesterday," he spoke carefully, locking eyes with her, "but I get the feeling it describes the situation a bit."

"That's exactly it," she admitted, turning to him completely. "I… I can tell you, right?"

Azure locked with verdant. "Of course. I don't say things like that without warning."

Breathing in, she began to explain, eyes lowering onto his entwined hands and fingers. "Around 40 years ago, my great-aunt debuted as a classical singer. Her name was Minami Utaka." She paused, gathering her thoughts. "Nanami Aiko, my Gran, is her sister. When I was 12, she showed me a picture of her when she was 14, the time Utaka debuted. If I were to cut my hair to a bit below my chin with it dyed black and a bit paler, I'd look exactly like her. A twin. Gran wanted to warn me that if I chose to become a singer, people would expect me to be a duplicate of her. And, as much as she loves her, she didn't want that." Verdant eyes shut tight, bitterness filling her. "She died a week before I was born. Great-grandmother Nanami, when she saw me for the first and last time, said I was Utaka's reincarnation." Hikari couldn't open her eyes. She didn't want to. It hadn't been two weeks since she met Masato, but she knew he had a bit of a traditional outlook and wasn't sure if he did believe in that kind of thing. He was one of her friends, one not her friend because of her family, but just for her-

"That's ridiculous." Her head jerked up and she opened her eyes, staring at an unimpressed Masato. Her mouth opened slightly. "First of all, you seem dislike classical music. Second, I cannot see you with short hair. Third, even if reincarnation is possible, it's disgraceful to consider your relative a reincarnation of a deceased loved one. That kind of thing can mess with a person's psyche."

"Masato-kun…"

The blunet seemed to realize something and took her hands in his, squeezing lightly. "Hikari," he said, dropping the suffix, "I'm the scion to a wealthy family, so is Jinguji. Kurusu and Shinomiya were in famous violin competitions. You may be related to a lot of famous people yourself, but that doesn't mean you should be expected to be like them." He fell silent for a moment before continuing quietly. "I spent most of my childhood in a strict environment and my family's butler taught me to play the piano to get away from the more painful moments. Should I stop playing the piano when it gets too tough for me?"

"Wh-what?" She looked at him with wide eyes. "No, you should continue playing! Especially if you love it!"

Masato's eyes softened and he pressed his forehead to hers, both of their eyes closing. "Then you should take pride in playing old songs from your family. Especially if you love composing and singing, unlike Utaka who only sang and wrote lyrics."

Hikari let herself go for a moment, taking in the acceptance. Even without thinking about it, she knew she would do as he said, if only because she could; her great-aunt wasn't there anymore and Hikari could become whoever she wanted to be. She sighed lightly. "I guess I'll have to tell Tomo-chan and Otoya-kun, huh?"

"I'll be with you," Masato said, pulling back and they stared at each other.

She smiled at him, squeezing his hands gently. "Thank you." Their hands separated and Hikari looked around the practice room, grimacing. "Ahh, I'm going to have to clean this up."

Sliding from her seat, she began going through the music sheets, sorting them out. Masato joined her, occasionally holding a sheet out for her to look at and point to a pile. On one of them, he looked it over.

"You want it?" Hikari asked, holding the papers of the ones she'd keep.

"If you don't mind," Masato glanced at her.

She shook her head, smiling. "They won't be used otherwise. Well, some of them, at least. I think these ones were done half in my sleep."

He hummed, looking over the sheet.

"Oh, by the way…" Masato looked at her, brow rising as she held her phone out to him. "Wanna exchange numbers? It'll be easier than hunting each other down."

His lips twitched, but he accepted the phone and passed his over to her. It took a moment and then they switched phones. Masato stared strangely at the name. His eyes moved over to her. "Really?"

Hikari looked up from her phone, puzzled. "Hmm?"

"'Baby Animal'?"

Her lips moved into a smile. "Why not? I'm changing yours to 'Piano Buddy'."

Masato simply shook his head, putting his phone away and standing, his friend doing the same. Hikari discarded some of the sheets in the bin, the rest held in her hands. Both made their way to the door. He hesitated, before opening his mouth. ' _I feel like I'm going to regret this.'_

"Wait."

"Wait what?" She stopped behind him, frowning when he didn't open the door.

He looked back at her. "Are you going to lunch… dressed like that?"

Hikari looked down in bemusement. "What's wrong with my clothes?"

His voice became strained. "It's a onesie."

"And…?"

"A sheep onesie."

"So?" How could one word be so flat? Rolling her eyes, Hikari leaned past him, pushing the door open. "I was asleep before coming straight here. I'm not gonna waste time I could be eating to change."

Masato stared at her in a mix of amazement and horror. "You're shameless."

"Yes, yes, I am. Now, let's go so I can bedazzle our class with my choice of clothes." Easily, she began making him move through the hall.

"You're shameless," he repeated, looking forward in stark surprise. "Father would be horrified."

The girl simply laughed, dragging her friend by the hand.

* * *

It was the day after the two had skipped, during which Hikari had apologized to Ringo and redid the two lessons she missed, along with homework. Ringo also made her do something similar to the recording test, but at least she didn't have to sing in from of her classmates and it was the same song she sang to Masato (later she'd shriek after hearing that there were mini TVs showing her recording session).

She practically collapsed onto her bed that night. "Tomo-chan, I feel exhausted."

The redhead snickered, puttering around the room. "You deserve it, worrying us so much. I'm just glad you told us about your family."

'Us' was Tomochika, Otoya, Shinomiya (now Natsuki, because she owed him), Kurusu, Jinguji, and Ichinose (the last three secondhand due to the blonds seeing her almost run Ichinose down). Hikari had exchanged numbers with Tomochika, Otoya and Natsuki, so they'd be able to message her. Hikari completely forgot to exchange numbers with the female redhead before that. Tomochika was simply 'Tomo-chan', Otoya was 'Cherry', and Natsuki was 'Parachute'.

"YOU GOTTSA MESSAGE!" Her phone abruptly blurted, making her groan as she moved. "YOU GOTTSA MESSAGE!"

Ignoring Tomochika when the girl laughed, Hikari squinted up at her phone.

**From: Parachute  
** ' _Goodnight, Hikari-chan!'_

Her lips twitched upward at the large amount of emojis at the end. Hikari sent back her own good night message just as Otoya messaged her.

 **From: Cherry**   
' _Hikari-chan, goodnight!'_

Hikari returned it, noting he hadn't put any emojis.  _'Must be a Natsuki thing.'_

"Night, Kari-chan," her roommate said turning their lights off.

"Night, Tomo-chan." Hikari rolled over to grab her head phones, pushing her sleep mask down as she plugged the headphones in, wanting to simply listen to music for a while. She paused when she got a new message, headphones on and mask resting on her forehead. Hikari blinked.

 **From: Piano Buddy  
** ' _Goodnight, Hikari. Thank you'_  
*Insert music file*

Blinking, Hikari made sure the volume was low so it wouldn't bother Tomochika and pressed play.

 **""Wipe your tears." From the time things began to move,**  
**Like the thawing snow, the glimmer of the future shines bright.**  
**This dream is always knocking on the mind. Feel it.**

 **On the corner of the asphalt, shivering in the icy darkness,**  
**An unafraid pure heart.**  
**Flowers are always looking up.**

 **No matter when, I don't want to forget it.**  
**That smile is my sun.**  
**Because the flood of love won't stop,**  
**I'm being filled with these feelings.**  
**I want you to let me stay by your side.**  
**Let's share what we "believe"…**

 **"I wonder why?" Every time I find that shape,**  
**The past heat haze gently vanishes into the sky.**  
**Like a lamp knocking on the mind, it's warm.**

 **Even in winter landscapes look more like the colors of spring.**  
**Now the world is changing.**  
**This first song is soaring on the wind.**

 **Why do people try to express themselves**  
With restricted words that aren't enough?  
So that the heart's dam overflows.  
Tightening strongly,  
This certain beating.  
"Ba-dump ba-dump" Ah… Singing…

 **No matter when, I don't want to forget it.**  
**That smile is my sun.**  
**Because the flood of love won't stop,**  
**I'm being filled with these feelings.**  
**I want you to let me stay by your side.**  
**Let's share what we "believe"…"**

Hikari smiled slow and soft.  _'This song… Masato, you really are incredible.'_

Rolling onto her side, she removed her headphones and put them on the floor beside her bed. Tapping on her phone, Hikari saved the music file and set her alarm. Sliding her mask down and sheep hood up, a small, happy sigh slipped free. Hikari drifted off easily with the lyrics singing in her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First song is "Alice" by Avril Lavigne. Second song is Masato's from S1E2.


	4. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

At the end of the first month, Hikari was watching as Otoya, Natsuki, and Masato danced for their choreography project, lips pursed as she took note of any mistakes (she'd already finished her report using instruments versus mixing console). After a few more beats, the music came to a stop.

"How was our dancing?" Natsuki asked, Otoya stretching beside him.

"The test is next week," Otoya noted, straightening. "I hope we can pass."

"It was good, I didn't really notice any mistakes." She smiled and looked down at her feet. "I think my toes were tapping." Hikari looked back up, this time grinning. "I'm sure you'll do fine!"

Otoya let out a slight cheer. "Alright!" He shared smiled with Natsuki.

"No, you've still got a ways to go," Masato cut in, gazing at them calmly. His eyes closed as they looked at him. "Your rhythm strays too far off the beat. That's a long way from perfection."

Otoya and Natsuki were a bit bemused, but Hikari was exasperated. Otoya spoke, chastised. "W-well, then…"

"Let's be careful about the tempo." Natsuki murmured, both boys looking like kicked puppies.

"Un."

Hikari tossed a paper ball at Masato, hitting his arm. He glanced at her. "Masato-kun, just because you're a perfectionist doesn't mean Otoya-kun and Natsuki-kun are."

His lips turned down as Otoya and Natsuki looked between the two with slight hope (they were getting exhausted).

"Really?!"

The loud squeal and following giggles caught their attention. Their heads turned. It was Jinguji and his usual girl tagalongs, walking along the courtyard.

"Ren-sama, that's why you're a celebrity!" Another fangirl squealed, causing Hikari to grimace and lean back on the bench.

"How dreamy!"

"Did I ever sound like that around Ringo-sensei?" She wondered, slightly horrified at the possibility of sounding like a fangirl.

A hand patted her head and she looked up at Natsuki. He smiled slightly at her. "You were more calm around Ringo-chan."

Hikari nodded with relief and turned back around. She could hear Jinguji speaking from her seat.

"It was such a beautiful rose," Jinguji began, smelling the pink rose, "that I bought the whole rose garden. You see, I thought I'd give it to someone."

The girls flipped out, voices rising to high-pitched squeals. "G-give it to me, Ren-sama!"

"Please give it to me!"

' _They sound like chihuahuas,'_  Hikari thought morbidly.

"I will," he said, "if you sweep me off my feet."

Otoya said blandly, "Only he could get away with a line like that."

"Jinguji Ren," Natsuki said. "The Goddess of Love must be fond of him."

Hikari spoke aloud, "I wonder, if I were to give him cheese, would he become cheesier?"

"Pbfft!" A spray of water went past Hikari, almost hitting her and she shrieked, shooting off the bench and back into Natsuki. The blond steadied her as she whirled, her eyes landed on Masato, who was holding a hand to his mouth, water bottle shaking when his shoulders did.

"Masato!" Hikari almost wailed. "That almost hit me."

His shoulders continued to shake, the bluenet weakly waving a hand at her.

"You know," Otoya said, making Hikari and Natsuki look at him. "I've seen a lot of spit takes from my neighborhood and that has to one of the more explosive ones I've seen."

Hikari shook her head at the redhead, turning her eyes to her paper and sighed. "Guess it's a good thing I've finished my report already."

Masato coughed and cleared his throat, finally turning back around. "S-sorry about that, Hikari. Shall we continue?"

The lone girl snickered at his attempt to go back to normal, the other two with their lips twitching. Hikari knelt to look at the small boombox. "Where from?"

"No, from the third phrase, if you would." She glanced over the music sheet and rewound the tape, being careful with the time. He leaned over, head beside hers. "From here. I want to properly take advantage of this opportunity."

"Hai!" Hikari set the papers down and fiddled a bit with the boombox.

"Huh…" the new voice made them glance over, almost smacking heads. "When did you become so cozy with the little lamb… Hijirikawa?"

Hikari blinked before narrowing verdant eyes at him. ' _Is he calling me a little lamb?'_

The blond stopped a few feet away as Masato stood. Her eyes flicked between the two. "Ever since we met, she and I have been tied together by fate."

Hikari frowned internally. ' _I've only met him once, though…?'_

Jinguji let his eyes move from Masato to Hikari, who stared up at him carefully. He moved closer and tugged her up to her feet, hand loosely wrapped around her wrist. Jinguji held the rose up between them and smiled at her. "I'd rather you not stray far. I've been looking for someone to share the seabreeze with, and if possible, right now."

The teen tried to pass her the rose, but instead she tugged her hand free and snagged the hand holding the pink flower, which she looked over with an external frown. "First of all, Jinguji-san, I prefer my roses with thorns, otherwise they look dreadful, and even then I'm more partial to baby's breath better. Second of all, I do not believe in fate. Lastly," here she looked him in the eyes, showcasing her complete confusion. "Why would I want to skip my lessons to go the sea?"

Masato cut in then. "He's just teasing you, Hikari." She looked at him, releasing Jinguji, who had a frown on his face, and stepping back. "You can't believe anything he says."

Hikari huffed and rolled her eyes, picking up the boombox. "I kinda figured, Masato. After all, if he's seen me in my onesie, he'd know I prefer the farm."

The blond sighed and leaned back, brushing slightly against Masato. "My aren't those mean things to say… though, I suppose I cannot deny it."

"REN!" A call was heard from across the courtyard and Hikari looked over, placing the boombox on the bench. It was Kurusu and she tilted her head at the concern on his face. He came to a stop in from of Jinguji. "Ren, what are you gonna do about the lyrics assignment?!"

Frowning, Hikari looked between them and stepped away a bit. She felt Otoya and Natsuki step up behind her and she leaned against her redheaded friend, arms crossing as his arm went around her shoulders. Masato was standing a bit behind Jinguji and he had the same look is his eye from the first day. Concern and confusion filled her at the sight.

Kurusu continued, eyes locked on Jinguji. "Have you forgotten Hyuga-sensei promised a harsh punishment if you didn't turn it in this time?!"

' _Harsh punishment?'_

Natsuki let out a soft noise as Jinguji said blithely, eyes closing in a smile, "Is that right?"

"'Is that right?'" Kurusu echoed, smiling himself before erupting at the taller blond. "OF COURSE IT IS! That's exactly what he said!"

Hikari blinked at the abrupt change, shifting her head as she spotted Ryuya coming towards the group, a deep scowl on his face. "Jinguji Ren!"

Her eyes narrowed while Kurus suddenly seemed to disappear behind Masato. She looked the teacher over with a frown tugging at her lips.

"Yo, Ryuya-san," Jinguji greeted carelessly. She shot him a look of disbelief.

His greeting was ignored as the man honed in on him. "You skip class and don't turn in any homework. Show me one more act of this frivolous behavior and I'll show you no mercy. I'll expel you on the spot!"

The boys reacted in shock, except for Masato and Jinguji. The former staring at the latter as the blond stared at Ryuya. Hikari herself was focused more on Ryuya, worry twisting her insides. She was worried about Jinguji's attitude, but something was wrong Ryuya…  _'Don't tell me he's overworking. That can't… I mean...'_

"Ryuya-san," Jinguji said, "A scowl is never popular with the ladies."

"Don't push your luck, Jinguji!" The ginger snapped at the boy, scowling harder when Jinguji began walking away. "I'm serious! If I don't have that by the end of school tomorrow, you're out of here!"

Jinguji only waved his hand.

_**Smack!** _

Startled, they all turned to look at the source, Jinguji also.

"Hikari?" Masato asked.

Hikari pulled her hands away from her face, looking up at Kurusu with a blank look on her face. "Kurusu-kun, could you do me a favor and help Masato, Otoya-kun, and Natsuki-kun with their dancing?"

The blond blinked at her in confusion, nodding slowly. "Ah, sure… why...?"

Standing, Hikari focused on Ryuya, who frowned at her in confusion. "Because I'm going to do something stupid." That said, she moved quickly, not wanting to be yelled at in public. Within seconds, she had Ryuya's suit jacket and tie in hand.

"Wh- Oi!" The man yelled, but she was already booking it.

"Catch me if you can, sensei!" Hikari yelled, rushing towards the cafeteria and gripping the clothes in her hand as she tugged her phone out, sending a message to Tomochika. She refused to have Ryuya end up like her cousin.

* * *

Ryuya knew he was scaring the students with his scowl, but losing parts of his suit to a student, he was angry. Having to deal with Jinguji wasn't helping, not when he knew that the boy could be a great idol, and all the other things he had to do. Plus, Nanami had taken his tie! The one he got from his younger brothers on Father's day!

He chased the girl down the hall, seeing Ringo at one point, but ignored the crossdresser in favor of getting his clothes back. Ryuya lost the girl for a moment but spotted her in the dining hall. He slid to a stop in the entry, frowning when he didn't see her.

"Ryuya-sensei!" A girl called out and he turned to look, frowning when he spotted his jacket in the hands of a redhead. "Come here!"

He stalked towards her, and after reaching her, leaned towards the jacket, but she swatted his hand away, jacket hugged tighter. "What-"

"Sorry, sensei, but I'm afraid I can't let you have it." At his scowl, she simply motioned to the table. His brows went up at seeing food on the table along with a piece of paper. "Read the note."

Ryuya looked at her suspiciously, eyeing his jacket, but did as she said and had to resist the urge to rip the paper after.

_Yo, sensei! I'd apologize for taking your clothes, but considering my parents have warned me constantly about overworking (something that you have obviously done), I decided to take matters into my own hands. Eat the food Tomo-chan got you and afterwards she'll give back your jacket. For your tie, well, I've let Tomo-chan know what to give you._

_-Nanami Hikari (penned by Shibuya Tomochika)_

Lifting his head, Ryuya stared at the newly dubbed Shibuya. The redheaded girl smirked at him and pointed at the food. He scowled at her. She beamed at him.

* * *

Ryuya scowled as he looked the note over. It was directions and he was following them, but he still just wanted his tie, he had things to grade, dammit! His scowl turned into a frown as he took in just where he was going. ' _This is the way to the teacher's rooms…?'_

He slowed when he took in the fact that the directions lead to his room, wondering how the girl had gotten his room number. Reaching his room, he jerked the door open roughly, only to blink in confusion when he spotted someone else other than Nanami.

"Shining-san?" He asked stupidly, blinking.

The older redheaded man was sat in his desk chair, looking at his tie with a frown. His sunglasses were set on the table and his brown eyes locked onto Ryuya, who abruptly felt like he was standing in front of the principal (nevermind the fact that it was actually true, but still).

"You know," the man drawled, twisting the tie in his hands. "When Nanami-san got my attention through a camera, I feared she had lost her mind, waving a tie around and yelling about you, saying that  _you_ had lost your mind. And do you know why that is?"

Ryuya frowned and thought, baffled. "No, I don't think I do."

"Nanami-san is a conundrum. Despite who she resembles and her parents being doctors, she chose to become a composer," he paused and looked at the tie. "It wasn't just her idea. Rather, it was her cousin's as well and when an accident took her cousin away, Nanami-san put her all in becoming a composer her cousin would be proud of."

"What does that have to do anything with her stealing my clothes and making me eat?" Ryuya asked in confusion, moving closer.

Shining looked at him and Ryuya was caught off guard by the grim seriousness on his face. "Nanami Haruka pushed herself learning what she would need to become a great composer. She already had bad health and the aftermath sent her to the hospital after she stopped taking care of herself properly. Ryuya," he waited until the former idol was looking at him completely, "Nanami Haruka suffered a heart attack from the stress and is still in a coma. Nanami-san was the one to witness it."

The younger man's eyes went wide and he faltered, staring speechlessly forward. Shining placed the tie on the table and picked up his sunglasses. He walked and stopped by Ryuya, placing a heavy hand on his shoulder. "I do not like hearing that one of my teachers has been mistreating them self from one of my students. Go to sleep for a couple hours, Ryuya, I will take care of your work."

He could faintly hear the man leaving his room and closing the door. His eyes were locked onto the tie. Ryuya had never figured that Nanami would do this or for Shining to help out, knowing the man had enough to do. Breathing out, he rubbed his face, figuring that he owed the young girl.

* * *

Hikari curled up between a potted plant and railing, the plant helping to block her from view. After giving Saotome the tie, she'd bolted, not wanting to be near Ryuya if he was still upset or think about what had happened last year. Legs pressed to her chest she glowered at nothing. ' _If it weren't for the fact that I could tell, who knows what could have happened…'_

Letting her hair down, she put it up into a loose messy bun. Shifting to get comfortable, Hikari leaned into the wall, feet lightly hanging between the openings of the railing, and tugged her phone out, pulling up the chat with Tomochika, Otoya, Natsuki, and the newly added Syo (. Her lips quirked up as she read their chatter about Masato and Jinguji, of how they were opposites, and being sons of opposing groups. How the two boys had known each other since they were kids. ' _What gossips we are,'_  she thought in mild amusement.

Absently, she saved Syo under 'Masculine Chibi'. Verdant eyes going up, Hikari listened to the wind, voices and laughter coming along with it to her ears. She never noticed how the adrenaline from running from Ryuya made her sleepy...

* * *

_**Riiip** _

Hikari twitched, blinking at the railing and lifted her hand, rubbing her cheeks. ' _Did I fall asleep? What was that noise?'_ Her hair was falling from the hair tie and onto her shoulder.

"This is ridiculous."

Jumping at the sudden voice, Hikari pulled her legs close and slid upwards, peeking past the plant to see Jinguji standing against the rail, shoving a piece of paper into his pocket. She watched quietly as he pulled out a saxophone from the case by his feet and began to play. ' _Oh, how lovely.'_  She slid out from her hiding spot. "Jinguji-kun!" She called out after he finished, moving away from the potted plant.

The blond started slightly and turned to glance at her, surprise on his face before he knelt to put the saxophone away. "Lady, you look like a flower, blossoming in the setting sun."

Hikari couldn't help smiling slightly as she put her phone away and venturing closer. "You're music was beautiful. I'm glad I woke up in time to hear it."

"I'm happy to hear that," he said, standing up and walking over to her with a soft smile which slowly gained a flirtatious edge. "I don't care what the reason is… as long as it brings us closer together." Jinguji paused in front of her, pulling his hand from his pocket and resting them on her shoulder. Her eyes lowered as the paper from before fell onto the terrace.

Seeing her attention move, he watched as she shifted and knelt to pick up the paper. "Are those your lyrics?" She asked, letting him pluck it from her hands. She smiled up at him, relieved. "I'm glad."

"'I'm glad'?" He echoed, eyeing her curiously.

Her head tilted and she shrugged slightly, stepping back and linking her hands behind her. "I didn't want to think about what may've happened if you didn't turn it in to Ryuya-sensei on time. But since you do have them done, you can give them to him!"

"I think it's time I left this place." He stated calmly.

Hikari froze, smiling falling. "Eh?"

Jinguji smiled, eyes shutting. "I'm tired of being here."

"Then get the hell out of here," Masato's voice cut in sharply. Hikari looked over, startled by the stoic anger on his face as he stood by the entry.

"Masato-kun…?" She fell silent as he seemed to ignore her, fully focused on Jinguji.

"I don't like you," Masato spoke coldly (' _Lie'_  her mind whispered). He stepped closer, pausing a few steps away. "My whole life has been decided by my father. I'm only free through my music, so I can't forgive you for being so trivial with it!"

Hikari shifted backwards when she saw Jinguji smile in response. "I'm not here because I want to be. I was dumped, so I have no reason to be here. It's just a lark." Her eyes widened.

"That's a lie," Masato snapped, a glare aimed at Jinguji. "That timbre I heard earlier was no lie. Why don't you show that?"

"I told you," Jinguji began ripping the paper, "it's all just for lark." He held his palm out and the paper shreds were sent flying in the wind. The girl could only stare after the pieces in frozen shock. "I'm not going to waste my time gambling on these worthless lyrics."

Hikari turned to look at him just in time to see Masato punch Jinguji. The bluenet's eyes were cold and had flecks of pain. "I'm sorry to hear that. I took you for somebody with a little more spirit." Masato turned and walked away, hands fisted at his sides.

She eyed his back worriedly before turning to Jinguji, pulling an item from her pocket. Stepping closer to him, Hikari heard him chuckle and mutter, "Hothead."

Deciding to ignore it, Hikari tugged him to face her and gently caught his chin, staring at startled blue eyes before focusing on the wound. She pressed her handkerchief against it, earning a slight wince. Thoughts ran through her mind until she finally murmured, "I'll go find your lyrics, you go get some ice." Moving his hand to take the cloth and offering a sad smile, Hikari turned on her heel, running to find the lyrics.

* * *

Almost slipping, Hikari steadied and straightened up from her crouch, sliding the newly found piece into her pocket. Glancing around, she was worried to see there were no more pieces in the bushes as her feet went along the path. Her head lifted and examined the trees. Verdant eyes came to a halt on a branch, spotting a piece close to the tree trunk. Hikari stared before stomping her foot and yelling. "Are you shitting me?!"

Tugging on her hair, she growled and put her hair in a tight messy bun. "So help me, I will get that damn piece before the sun goes down."

(Tokiya flinched at the yell, glancing around in silent confusion as he held the window. He stared in bemusement when he spotted Nanami glaring at a tree. The girl was removing her shoes and socks, afterwards her skirt. Tokiya almost covered his eyes until he spotted the athletic shorts. Nanami moved and began to climb the tree, Tokiya grimacing in sympathetic ghost pain as her knees and bare hands scraped against the tree. As she made her way onto the branch, he couldn't help wondering morbidly, ' _What would happen if I yelled at her?'_

Blinking, he frowned and shook his head, leaning against the sill to keep an eye on her. ' _I really need to stop thinking of scaring people even if I do find the reactions funny.'_ )

* * *

Frowning slightly as she followed the whistling,the peach-haired girl looked at the bandages wound around her hands, the ones on her knees hidden behind her leggings. ' _At least Tomo-chan wasn't too upset and the weather is okay for leggings. It would have sucked to put the bandages on myself, even if mom and dad taught me… I hope they don't put me through first-aid remedial lessons…'_

Hikari glanced up, nearing Jinguji, and focused on him as he stopped whistling. He looked lost. She didn't like the look on him. "'In the classroom with the dancing sunset,'" she spoke quietly and watched as Jinguji turned in surprise. "'Those eyes glittering more than the stars, knocked me out.'" A breath in as she lowered her eyes to the paper, the slight noise from him letting her know he spotted the bandages. "These lyrics are wonderful, you know. I couldn't help myself yesterday from playing it on the piano."

"Lady…" The word was soft and she walked closer, looking at him as she knelt carefully and passed the lyrics over. Hikari hadn't been able to finish the lyrics, but he didn't seem to notice that, catching her hand in his and being gentle with the bandages. A frown formed on his lips.

Hikari continued speaking. "I couldn't find all of it, but I can't say sorry for meddling. Masato, whether he'd admit it or not, considers you as one of his friends. A close friend that he wouldn't want to give up on." His eyes lifted and locked with hers and she leaned to bump their foreheads gently together. "Don't give up and express what you really feel."

She pulled away, leaving him to release her hand and clutch the paper. Standing, Hikari hesitated and bit her lip, nodding to herself after a moment. She bent down and captured his cheeks in her hands, smiling sorrowfully. "Jinguji Renge was a well-loved idol… and the woman who was supposed to be my aunty. I don't know where she is now, but I don't want her to worry, so I'm going to look one last time!"

Pulling his head close, her lips pressing lightly to his forehead. Releasing him, Hikari straightened and hurried back to the school, not waiting for a response.

* * *

The peach-haired girl looked through the grass, heart falling as time went on.

"Kari-chan, are you sure it fell around here?" Tomochika called to her.

"I'm sure!" She called back, leaning onto her haunches and eyeing the high windowsill, wondering if the wind may have sent it there. Faintly she could hear her blond friends speaking, but ignored them as the bell tolled.

"Ah!" Otoya cried from behind her. "It's too late!"

Hikari felt weak as she stood, looking at her friends helplessly.  _'Ren…'_

_**Click-Click-Click Click-Click-Click** _

There was a whine in the air as the intercom turned on and she bit her lip.

"Hey, can you hear me? Everyone…" Hikari pressed her hands together, grouping with her friends as they listened. "Little flower, can you hear me? Ryuya-san, too. Everyone, listen to this. I just finished my song. I'm going to unleash feelings that were asleep. Until the final phrase… it's showtime!"

Music began playing, the saxophone sticking out. Hikari began to beam, Tomochika catching her and Syo's hands, squeezing. Natsuki and Otoya bumped arms while Syo fistpumped with his free hand.

**"In the classroom, lit by the dancing sunset, you are the only one I'm looking at.  
Those eyes sparkling more than the stars, I'm knocked out by them!**

**That was the first time, ya know? If I had to name an example, it's like bitter chocolate.  
With its sweet nectar, this love's turning into a hazard!"**

The five ran, Natsuki and Otoya leading with Tomochika behind them and Syo and Hikari at the back.

**"Always only taking a simple lesson time.  
But… what was really taken was forbidden love…**

**Release my soul! Cast off your fake heart!**   
**From within my chest, breakin' out! Ooh… It's so hot!**   
**These feelings have started to run, if they were changed by passion…**   
**I say this only for you, my last phrase of love!**

**I want to decide this already with one shot, the tips of these darts!  
Alright, you ready? Right in the center, an inflamed punishment!**

**"This won't end with just a kiss." But better words  
Would be something like a rose thrown only for you."**

They found the studio and Hikari paused by the door, seeing her friends go to dance. She pulled her phone out, dialing.

**"Overflowing kindness, you're just like an angel.**   
**If… If only for me, then smile! Peace!**

**I want to hold you close! My dear, I absolutely won't let you go!**   
**In one fell swoop, everything's breakin' out! Ooh… It's hot!**   
**To the glittering sky, I'll sing because I want to convey these feelings.**   
**I live only for you! My love is not a lie!**

**Release my soul! Cast off your fake heart!**   
**From within my chest, breakin' out! Ooh… It's so hot!**   
**These feelings have started to run, if they were changed by passion…**   
**I say this only for you, my last phrase of love!**

**"To the ends of the earth, believe heart!""**

Hikari grinned and said quietly into the phone. "Do you want to speak with him?"

"Yes," came the hoarse reply, almost a sob. "Yes, I want to speak with him."

"Jinguji," the girl called out, carefully as she was unsure if the recording was still going (or if it had even been on).

The blond turned and smiled at her, tilting his head when he saw the phone being held out to him. "Little flower?"

"Someone special wants to speak with you."

His brows furrowed, but he accepted the device with his free hand, holding it to his ear. "Hello? …" Eyes going wide as he listened, Jinguji looked at her in shock and slight joy.

Wiggling her fingers at their confused companions, they followed her into control room, where she turned off the mike.

"Hikari-chan, who was that on the phone?" Natsuki asked, handing her a cassette tape when she'd looked up at the rack with a glower.

"That would be my uncle Haruto," she transferred the song to the cassette as she'd been taught by her Oyaji. Standing straight, she turned to look at her friends, shutting the booth down (making double sure that the mikes were off). "Did you know his mother used to be an idol?"

"Idol?" Syo repeated. They all had curious looks.

Hikari nodded and crossed her arms. "You already know how some of my relatives are in the entertainment business, which isn't all. My uncle and aunts were also former singers before settling into the jobs they have now. Oyaji is a former flutist as well. Prior to all that, though, my Gran inherited an entertainment agency." She pointed over her shoulder to Jinguji. "Jinguji's mother, Jinguji Renge, was not only my uncle's step sister but also an idol for the Nami Agency."

"Woah…" Otoya looked between the two.

"But how come Jinguji didn't know that?" Tomochika asked, eyeing her roommate curiously when Hikari frowned.

"Aunt Renge died before I was born and her husband cut all ties with my family. He loved her so much he couldn't bear it." Hikari looked over her shoulder at the blond behind the glass. "He refused any interaction with my family, so until now we haven't met her sons."

"Are you saying you couldn't contact them at all? What about the time between his death and the Academy?" Natsuki wondered.

He, Syo, and Otoya flinched at the humorless smile that formed, Tomochika coming to take her hand. "Ikeda Ryuu, Uncle Haruto's older brother, is an advisor for the Jinguji group because of Aunt Renge's husband putting him there. He never liked us Nanamis, so he's foiled everything to prevent the groups for meeting."

"I never did like him," Jinguji voiced, cutting in. They turned to look, and Hikari noticed his saxophone case was in hand, her phone in the other. He held it out to her with a small smile. "I've got a meeting with your uncle next week. Thank you."

She grinned. "It's been a long time coming, no need to say thanks." Hikari took her phone back.

* * *

Arms stretching, Hikari plugged her headphones in, music starting, and pulled up her messages. She settled one headphone on her ear, the other behind her left, and skimmed her messages, brows furrowing when she saw she had a new contact. 'Prince' was all that was typed and she tilted her head, pausing in her steps.

**From: Baby Animal**   
' _Ah, hello?'_

She bounced in place for a moment.

**From: Prince**   
' _Hello, Little Flower.'_

Hikari blinked then smiled, swiftly adding him to the group chat between their friends.

**From: Baby Animal  
** ' _Look who joined us!'_

She leaned against the wall, laughing softly at the influx of messages.

**From: Tomo-chan**   
' _Hey, Jinguji! Welcome to the chat!'_

**From: Parachute  
** ' _Ren-chan, welcome!'_

**From: Cherry**   
' _Nice! Now all we need is Tokiya to be complete!'_

**From: Masculine Chibi  
** ' _Don't push Tokiya too much, Otoya, I'd rather not hear him scold you again. And, Hikari! Change my name!'_

**From: Baby Animal**   
' _Never! It suits you too much!'_

**From: Prince**   
' _I take it Hikari is the admin for this?'_

**From: Piano Buddy  
** ' _Of course. Kurusu would keep removing Natsuki otherwise'_

**From: Parachute  
** ' _Syo-chan wouldn't do that!'_

**From: Tomo-chan**   
' _Ah, Natsuki, you're so innocent, how cute'_

**From: Masculine Chibi** _  
_ ' _How can someone sarcasm over chat? And why is Ren called Prince? I call bias!'_

**From: Piano Buddy  
** ' _Kurusu, sarcasm is a noun, not an adjective. Stop ruining grammar, please.'_

**From: Baby Animal**   
' _If it weren't for the fact that I've only known you all a short while, I'd say you're all worse than my family'_

**From: Cherry**   
' _Hikari-chan, no offense, but no one can be worse than your family'_

**From: Parachute**   
*Insert shocked emoji*   
*Insert thumbs up emoji*

**From: Masculine Chibi**   
' _No offense intended, ya know'_

**From: Tomo-chan**   
' _You're all dreadful… but I agree'_

**From: Piano Buddy**   
' _Pot, meet kettle.'_

**From: Prince**   
' _... aren't I a part of her family? And this chat…?'_

**From: Baby Animal**   
' _... that just makes the two of us worse than both combined.'_

She snickered and exited the chat, letting them speak to each other. Pulling away from the wall, Hikari looked up and began making her way back to the exit, intent on getting food from Saotomate instead of the cafeteria so she could complete her missing assignment. The girl passed by Ichinose, nodding to the male. He didn't return it, but she didn't mind.

* * *

Hikari pulled up her chat after it dinged, Tomochika peering over her shoulder when Hikari said it was from their group chat.

"Ah, it's from Natsuki," Tomochika noted, laying beside Hikari on the girl's bed. "And a music video."

Humming curiously, Hikari opened it, gasping when she saw the singers. "Oh! It's Aunt Renge and Uncle Haruto!"

"Whoa!" Tomochika leaned up on her elbow. "They look so young!"

Renge began singing.

" _Lyin' here with you so close to me_  
_It's hard to fight these feelings when it feels so hard to breathe_  
 _I'm caught up in this moment_  
 _I'm caught up in your smile_

 **I've never opened up to anyone  
So hard to hold back when I'm holding you in my arms**  
_**No, we don't need to rush this**  
**Let's just take it slow**_

**_Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight_ **   
**_Just a touch of the fire burning so bright_ **   
**_No, I don't wanna mess this thing up_ **   
**_No, I don't wanna push too far_ **   
**_Just a shot in the dark that you just might_ **   
**_Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life_ **   
**_So baby I'm alright, with just a kiss goodnight_ **

_I know that if we give this a little time_  
**It'll only bring us closer to the love we wanna find**  
_It's never felt so real_ ,  **no, it's never felt so right**

**_Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight_ **   
**_Just a touch of the fire burning so bright_ **   
**_No, I don't wanna mess this thing up_ **   
**_No, I don't wanna push too far_ **   
**_Just a shot in the dark that you just might_ **   
**_Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life_ **   
**_So baby I'm alright, with just a kiss goodnight_ **

_No, I don't wanna say goodnight  
_**I know it's time to leave,**   _ **but you'll be in my dreams**_

 **Tonight**  
_Tonight_  
_**Tonight** _

_**Just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight  
Just a touch of the fire burning so bright  
No, I don't wanna mess this thing up  
No, I don't wanna push too far  
Just a shot in the dark that you just might  
Be the one I've been waiting for my whole life  
So baby I'm alright, oh, let's do this right, with just a kiss goodnight  
** _ _With a kiss goodnight_  
**Kiss goodnight."**

Hikari and Tomochika cooed over the sweetness and Hikari began giggling. Her roommate looked at her weirdly.

Holding a hand to her mouth, Hikari managed to get out, "I think this is the song Uncle used to first ask out Aunty Noriko."

Tomochika squealed, flailing and almost knocking herself off the bed, causing Hikari to toss her phone and grab her friend. "T-Tomo-chan! Be careful!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first song is "Sekai no Hate Made Believe Heart" from S1E4 and the second is "Just a Kiss" by Lady Antebellum. Also, boom, background info drop. No regrets, unless viewers think it's too fast (but considering Haruka in canon is really trusting...)


	5. Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

 

Hikari hummed quietly as she wrote a letter to her grandmother, detailing the antics that they had caused, how her songs were being made and how her friends and teachers liked them, and how Shiori shouldn't be allowed near Saotome Academy with Ringo and Ryuya around. She glanced at the cat that was resting his head on her leg, puppy eyes going fullblast. The girl rolled her eyes and stopped writing, setting her notebook and pen to the side. Tugging a fluffy dandelion from the grass, she wiggled it above his head.

"I can't get anything done with you around, can I?" She sighed, glancing at the half-finished letter. Focusing on the cat, she played with Akuma. Hikari made the cat work for the dandelion. "You want it? You want it? Work for it, brat cat."

Akuma lunged for it, pinning the flower and her hand to the grass. His face pushed it the dandelion head and he froze, promptly pulling back and sneezing and she snickered at him. He rubbed at his face and rolled in the grass.

"That's what you get," she singsonged, stilling when she heard panicky noises. Hikari whirled around when she heard a yell.

Staring speechlessly at a branching clinging Syo, Hikari removed her shoes and made her way up the tree with the ease of a cat. Reaching the nearest and thick branch, she looped her legs around it and grabbed Syo, catching his shirt and jerking him back up. He screeched all the while, smacking into her when she got him on her branch. Syo clung to her and Hikari was a bit relieved because it meant he wouldn't be shaking. Patting him on the hat, she asked him, "Do you want me to go down first so I can give you instructions?"

Arms clenching tighter around her for a moment, she felt a nod against her shoulder. Hikari slipped free and made her way backwards down the tree, calling out to Syo all the while. Landing lightly on the grass, Hikari stepped back and watched as Syo hesitatingly and slowly made his way down. "You can fall from there."

He did and he crumpled completely when he hit the grass, lying on his back.

Hikari blinked and stepped closer, leaning over him slightly. "Are you alright?"

Syo glanced at her, hat falling off. "Ah, yeah… are your feet okay?"

"My feet?" Hikari looked at her feet in confusion. Her mouth formed an 'O' when she lifted her heel and spotted some scratches through the socks. "Huh. Guess I am."

"Don't be so blase about it!" Syo snapped, rolling over and onto his knees, looking closer, cringing. "I-here. Let me carry you to the infirmary… Hikari?"

"Gran is going to kill me," she breathed in horror, sitting in the grass and tugging her socks off, looking them over. "This is the fifth pair I've ruined."

Syo sputtered. "How can you be more worried about socks than your injuries?!"

She waved a hand at him. "Injuries can heal, socks can't. Gran is going to limit my onesie budget!"

Blue eyes stared at her in disbelief. "What is the matter with you?"

* * *

Hikari pouted at her desk as she straightened her books. ' _Honestly, you'd think I'd done something crazy with the scolding Tomo-chan gave me. It's not like I actually don't care about my injuries, but the socks… the crazy expensive socks Gran bought me for here… Even the boys joined in!'_

She looked over at Otoya when he made a noise. "Ohh! Hyuga-sensei is going to be in a new movie!"

"Eh?" Tomochika said, turning along with Hikari to look at the male.

"This!" He showed the magazine to them.

"'Starring Hyuga Ryuya'?"

"'Prince of Precipices'?" Hikari's eyes lingered on 'precipice' with mild curiosity. ' _Maybe that's why Syo-kun was in the tree?'_

"He does have that action star image, you know?" Tomochika looked at Hikari. "Is that why Shiori-san is a fan of his?"

Hikari nodded, absently noting, "Sensei has huge muscles." Otoya made a noise, earning a weird look from both girls. "What?"

He gave them a bland look, lips twitching slightly. "I really don't want to hear any fangirl comments from either of you. You'll ruin my image of him." The girls giggled and his smile formed sheepishly. "Besides, I think he's a little old to be a 'prince'."

"Don't be a party-pooper… ooh, they've got auditions!" Tomochika peered closer. Hikari stood so she could peer over her shoulder.

"Oooh," she murmured as she read it. "Co-star, huh…"

"I see…" a new voice made them start and they looked at Natsuki.

"When did you get here?!" Otoya squawked, arm raised in defense, though he lowered it when he saw the blond.

Cheerfully brushing them off, he spoke as he rubbed his chin. "I've gotta pass this on to Syo-chan!"

"Syo-kun?" Hikari wondered, sitting back down when Tomochika pointed at her chair and glared.

"Syo-chan's a huge, longtime fan of Hyuga-sensei!" They were informed, Natsuki smiling brightly.

"Really?" Otoya wondered, and looked at Hikari, who simply shrugged, unsure of what her cousin knew. "Then Syo would love to clinch that role, ne?"

"Hai!"

* * *

"Hey, Kari-chan, what are you planning for lunch? I'm starving!" Tomochika looked at her friend, who was slumped on Otoya back with a sulky look.

"You mean I get to choose what to eat?" Green eyes peeked up from behind Otoya. "I didn't realise I could."

The taller redheads shared exasperated looks. "Hikari-chan, you know I'm only carrying you because of your injuries, right? You can still get what you want."

"Not if I'm being treated like baggage." Came the retort. She must have decided to change the subject because she pointed at something over Otoya's shoulder. "Oh, look, a wild blond."

Blinking at each other, Tomochika and Otoya looked. Indeed, Syo was walking towards them, though he didn't seem to have noticed them yet.

"Hey, Syo!" Otoya called, catching the blond's attention. Syo raised a brow when he saw Hikari being carried. "Did you hear about the audition?"

"Oh…" He said, blinking and looking down. "The one with Hyuga-sensei, right?

"Ah, you do know!" Tomochika said, leaning to him. "No surprise, you are a fan!"

Otoya frowned when he saw the blond blanch, following his gaze. Feeling Hikari shift, he settled her higher on his back as she too noticed.

"Natsuki…" It was breathed out in slight panic. Looking back at him, Otoya noticed sweat beading up on his face. There was a soft giggle that made his hair shift and Otoya stiffened with realization.

Bracing herself on his shoulders, Hikari lifted herself up and waved, calling, "Natsuki-kun!"

There was a strangled noise from the short blond, but Otoya couldn't look at him as he shifted to steady himself, holding Hikari tighter as she moved.

"Syo-chan! I have great news!"

"Nope!" It was softer than Natsuki, and Otoya looked over to see Syo bolt in the opposite direction. Hikari jerked herself free, yelping when she landed, but still ran off after their friend.

Rolling his shoulders, Otoya looked at Tomochika as he straightened, the girl looked bewildered. "What the hell is going on?" She asked.

Otoya looked behind him, frowning. "Where'd Natsuki go?"

* * *

Hikari slowed as she neared her friend. Syo was bent over as he panted. "You okay, Syo-kun?"

His eyes looked at her, a small scowl on his face. "You did that on purpose." Seeing her smile, he shook his head. "I don't know what I expected… ah, this'll get more complicated if Natsuki gets involved… and I still have something to do before the audition…"

"So you will audition?" She asked, head tilting.

"You think I'd let this chance get away from me?" Syo grinned at her before faltering. "Ah, but your cousin…"

The girl waved a hand dismissively. "Shiori-nee is the type of fan to panic in embarrassment around her idol. Ryuya-sensei is one of them along with Ringo-sensei. She'll probably make Kai-baka try out, if she can."

"But he won't?" Syo straightened and turned to her. He was clearly worried about the competition.

"He's lazy and considering this is an action movie…" Hikari trailed off and stared into the air. "I should probably tell her no before she thinks of asking me." Syo laughed lightly as she pulled her phone from a hidden vest pocket, quickly texting her cousin with a frown.

**From: Baby Animal**   
' _No'_

Syo leaned into her shoulder as her cousin quickly texted back.

**From: Female Crossdresser**   
_'I HAVEN'T EVEN ASKED YET! HIKARI, WHY!?'_

Ignoring it, Hikari stuffed the phone in her pocket. "So, how are you going to audition? I mean," she poked his biceps. "You're kinda small right here."

He jerked away, sputtering and scowling at her. "You're way too blunt, Hikari!" Scowl falling, he let out a noise and waved a hand to the grass.

Following his waving, Hikari watched as Ryuya passed by, performing a short set of kata. Glancing between him and Syo's starstruck face, Hikari giggled before whistling loudly.

"Nice moves, sensei!" She crowed, pretending to swoon when he looked at her in shock. A strangled shriek left Syo as Ryuya stumbled, having lost his concentration.

"Stuff it, Nanami!" The man barked out and bolted away. Hikari collapsed onto a bench, laughing as she spotted the blush forming on Ryuya's face.

A voice came over the small area. "Syo-chan, I found you!"

Losing his scandalized look, Syo stiffened in shock. Hikari coughed slightly as she watched Syo get trapped by a net. The blond panicked as he swung wildly in the net.

"I see he still isn't any good with heights," Natsuki noted as he walked up.

She stared at him blankly while Syo shrieked. "And people wonder what's wrong with  _me_."

* * *

"Scared of heights?" Otoya repeated, staring at the blond between Hikari and Natsuki. His back was to the table as he trembled.

"Of… course… not…" Syo gritted out.

"Looks like a serious case," Tomochika observed from beside Otoya, Masato down a seat from Otoya drinking tea. Silently, the male redhead wondered how he got it in the study hall.

"But isn't it a problem?" Otoya persisted, kicking the questions he had for Masato away. "The movie's called 'Prince of Precipices,' after all."

Tomochika spoke teasingly, "It's full of high places!" He bumped her arm lightly and she grinned at him mischievously.

"Oh, shut it!" Syo huffed, hunching further over his chair. "I'm tryin' to get over it!"

Otoya noticed Hikari get a look of realization, but she shook her head when he tilted his head.

"You're so secretive, Syo-chan!" Natsuki said, clenching his fists. "Why didn't you come to me for advice?"

"Because you're dangerous," Syo said flatly and Otoya felt his cheeks pale as he recalled the cookies he tried making with the blonds.

"I would never put you in danger!" Natsuki protested.

"That smile alone is dangerous!" Syo snapped, clutching his hat tightly. Otoya carefully hid his smile behind his hand. Hikari was smiling openly along with Tomochika. Glancing at Masato, the bluenet, seemed unimpressed with all of it.

"Hey, let's all help to cure him," Otoya offered, lowering his hand to grin at his friends.

Hikari fistpumped as Syo turned to look at them. "That way he can audition and my cousin won't sucker me into it!" She froze and smiled sheepishly at Syo. "No offense."

Shrugging at her, the blond stared around at them as Tomochika spoke. "I suppose I'll lend a hand!"

"It sounds interesting."

They all glanced at Ren. Hikari leaned over and pinched his cheek when the blond bent over to lean closer to Syo. "Ah? You mean you'll finally free yourself of escorts to speak with us? How kind of you, Prince."

The blond winced and tugged at her hand, but she simply pinched harder as she grinned at him. Tomochika leaned against Otoya, and looking down, he saw she was giggling silently. "So you wouldn't mind if I join in?" Ren managed to get out despite the hindrance, after which Hikari let go. He rubbed his cheek as he continued. "It seems like the perfect way to kill time."

Otoya hid his own laugh when he saw Ren was eyeing Hikari with a wary look on his face. Composing himself slightly, Otoya looked over at the lone bluenet. "How about you, Masa?"

"'Knowing what is right not doing it signifies a want of courage.'" The bluenet responded.

The redheaded male beamed. "Then you're in!"

Syo looked around at them all, clearly surprised. "If everyone is going to help… then… I guess I'll do my best…"

* * *

"This is the first step?!" Syo almost shrieked. "I can't, I can't! There's no way I can do this!"

Hikari dropped her chin on Otoya's shoulders, who'd insisted on carrying her again after her run from earlier. "Is that a cord for bungee jumping?"

Otoya slouched forward slightly. "Ah, maybe?"

"Exposure therapy is the most effective method!" Natsuki called out to Syo.

"Are you sure about this?" Tomochika wondered, standing a bit in front of the other relatives.

Hikari reached over and began undoing the small braid in her hair, tugging the small rubber band out of the strands as Otoya hummed. "Maybe? Hikari, you're going to make us fall over. Stop."

"Ah," she said, ignoring the confused look from Tomochika as she pulled some of the hair from Otoya's bangs into her hands. "That so?"

There was a faint chuckle from Masato and Hikari spared him a glance, smiling slightly when he raised a brow at her. Both turned back to Syo, Hikari continuing to braid Otoya's bangs.

"Don't push me!" The blond yelped, arms flailing for balance. "Don't push me! Don't you dare push me!"

"There you go!" Natsuki chirped, shoving at Syo's back.

They watched silently as Syo fell, screaming. Hikari let her hands go on autopilot for the braiding as she goggled the sight. "Wow, Natsuki-kun sure can be brutal…" She tied off the small braid.

* * *

Hikari was going to get water for Syo after going through a bunch of training attempts (she had bolted at first chance at the excuse, not liking being carried). Stepping from the store, she looked up when she spotted legs. "Ah…"

"You look busy," Ichinose said, eyes and face blank as always.

"A friend is going through a few events for an audition. Our attempts to help are failing, though…" Hikari shifted out of his way.

"You can afford to, huh…" She blinked at him in confusion. "Give all your attention to other people…"

"Why wouldn't I when he's similar to her?" Hikari smiled wryly and stepped past him. "He hasn't said it yet, but I know he's got a goal similar to mine with Hayato-san. If I can help him, I will."

He was silent before finally speaking. "Good luck."

She looked at him sideways and nodded. "Excuse me."

Hikari moved with long strides, ignoring the slight tingles coming from her feet. She'd had worse gardening for her grandmother, so it was easy to push to the side. Humming softly, she moved into a slight jog, reaching her friends just as Syo seemed to lose his mind.

"I brought some water!"Hikari called quickly, pulling the bottle from the bag and tossing it to Tomochika, who swiftly opened it and upended it over the poor blond.

She glowered at Otoya, but was ignored as she was settled on the bench, Syo's head being placed in her lap. "Bully," she informed the redhead.

"Child," he shot back.

Making faces at each other, Hikari turned her focus on Syo, fingers smoothing out his locks. She listened absently as her friends spoke. Natsuki moved Syo's legs so he was fully spread out on the bench as he talked.

"Syo-chan's a go-getter, so I want to do something to help him overcome this." Natsuki stared down at his friend.

"I wonder why he's so afraid of heights," Otoya wondered as he looked at the blond.

"Maybe he went through something terrible in his past," Masato suggested.

"Memory repression, you think?" Hikari looked at him.

"A possibility."

They all tensed as a familiar laugh rang out, guitars filling the air. Hikari felt her mind crash when Saotome popped up behind the bench.

"H-headmaster, how long have you been there?!" Tomochika squealed.

Hikari blinked and swung Syo's hat at him. "Are you eavesdropping again?!"

Easily pulling the hat from her hands, the man spun on his hands on the back of the bench, tossing himself and landing on his feet. "Listening to the troubles of our diligent students is part of the job to me."

She would only goggle as he grabbed Syo by the shoulders and shook him.

"Mr. Kurusu!" Saotome said, holding his face close to the blond's.

Syo snapped out of his trance. "W-what do you want?!"

"Are you alright-yo? Relax!"

* * *

Hikari sat on the floor in the headmaster's office, tugging her shoes off to look at the wounds with the man's first aid kit in Masato's hands. The sound of a metronome ticking filled the room.

"Now, close your eyes," Saotome said, the candle casting a strange glow on their faces. Hikari moved slowly to open the kit without making a loud noise. "Slowly, deep breathing."

Despite being so clearly against it, Syo did as instructed.

"Slowly, slow and slow, slowly," The man wiggled his fingers as he coaxed Syo. "Calm down… you're getting warmer… and you're getting sleepier and sleepier…"

Hikari elbowed Masato lightly and pointed at the tissue boxes and he grabbed a few for her. Both looked over and saw Syo with his head drooping. Both shared curious looks before turning back to her feet.

"Okay, you went to sleep, yes…?"

"Not at all." Syo said so flatly that Masato had to cover her mouth to prevent her laughter. "How could I fall asleep with all this?! You've gotta be kidding me! Jeez, get real! In the first place..."

The blond cut off with his head drooping again and Saotome quickly continued, brushing it off. "Okay, okay, okay… you have fallen asleep. Now we're going to go deep, deep into your memories. Right now, you're three years old… you're on a ferris wheel… Are you feeling scared?"

Syo mumbled. "I… ain't… scared… it's fun…"

"Alright… and now you're four years old…"

"So… fun…"

"Okay, now you're five years old…"

Hikari and Masato looked up when they didn't hear anything. Her brows furrowed when she saw Syo's face was scrunched up and sweat slid down, trembling.

"Is it fun on the ferris wheel?"

Fists clenching, Syo began screaming.

Masato started and jerked on the bandage to a tight degree and she yanked her heel back at the sudden pain. She squawked and flailed on the stool, hand catching something as she fell. It went down with her.

* * *

"Syo, why would you go to an obvious dead end with Natsuki after you?" Hikari gave up on honorifics, face smooshed against Masato's shoulder as he put her out of the room. Tomochika had taken her shoes, so she was forced to being carried, especially after accidentally taking the tallest blond with her. ' _My poor ribs…'_

"I… I… I was five?" He offered weakly, looking at her nervously.

She could only wave a fist at him before slumping against Masato. "Sorry, Masato-kun."

"Stop being reckless."

* * *

"What do you mean, you aren't going to audition?" Hikari sat beside him, looking at him with confusion. Tomochika leaned against the arm, peering at the blond.

"I thought you were cured?" The redheaded idol wondered, draping an arm around her friend.

"Why not?! Look at this!" He held the magazine from yesterday out, black nail pointing something at the bottom.

Verdant eyes looked. "'The role will be the main character's younger sister.'"

"A girl?!" Tomochika and Hikari exclaimed.

Ren chuckled humorlessly. "And it's in such small letters…"

A sigh escaped Syo. "I wanted to act alongside Hyuga-sensei."

"It's okay, Syo-chan!" Natsuki's voice boomed and Hikari felt a small buzz come from her side. She pulled out her phone and read the text, face paling as she did. "Leave it to me!"

"No way…" Syo breathed in horror. Fortunately for him, Natsuki didn't get a chance as a strangled screech left Hikari.

"Hi-Hikari?!" Masato half asked, half called. She simply held the phone out to him as she covered her face. "Ah."

"Ah? Ah?!" She repeated looking at him in horror. "Shiori-nee signed me up to audition! And Ryuya-sensei knows me, so I can't skip it or give less than my best!"

"Hikari," Syo caught her by the shoulders, forcing the girl to look at him. "You have to do it. For me."

She stared at him blankly. "Eh?"

"I'll owe you a favor, another one if you pass the auditions." He blanched at the suddenly intense look on her face, squeaking when she grabbed his collar and pulling him close.

"You mean that?"

"Ye-yes…"

"I want that in writing," she growled before releasing him, instead taking her phone back and dialing.

"Hello?" Came her cousin's slightly rough voice.

"Unnie," Hikari greeted, feeling her body tensing as she continued. "Where am I supposed to go?"

There was a beat and Hikari quickly held her phone upwards.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Hikari tossed Syo a dark look. "You've gone and created a monster, I hope you realize."

The blond could only stare in shock at the phone.

* * *

A smile formed as Hikari looked through the polaroids her grandmother had sent her, ignoring the way her happy cousin was blowing up her phone. Instead, she flipped through a picture album, sticking the photos in as she sat in the grass, Akuma resting on her bag. Feeling a bit snippy, she showed him a picture of her baby alpaca. "Look at him, isn't he a cutie? And he's getting close to his first shearing!"

She couldn't help wiggling. Camel was also getting ready for his second trim and her grandmother mentioned that she may be able to make her something out of the fur. Most likely a scarf from Camel and a jumper from Llama… either way, she couldn't wait!

"Oi, Hikari!" The girl looked up, smiling slightly with Syo coming to a stop beside her.

"Syo-kun, what's up?" She slid the last few photos into the album.

"You wanted it in writing, right?" He held out three papers in front of her.

Hikari raised a brow. "Why a third?"

"For if you need a distraction from or for your cousin," Syo smiled at her hesitantly. "After hearing her shriek…"

She waved a hand, viewing the papers. "She's also been blowing up my phone, but I don't mind it too much. And I read through the script…"

Syo tilted his head as he sat beside her, curious. "You did?"

"Yeah, I was the only girl unafraid of heights, which meant I got the role right away… the character may not have a lot of speaking parts, a lot of action parts. Guess I should be glad nee-chan usually dragged me to her lessons." Her face grimaced and she slumped back to stare at the clouds after putting the papers in her bag (Hikari ignored the growl she got from Akuma). "They weren't fun, let me tell you, the lessons."

He chuckled and she noticed he looked at the album. She simply passed it over to him. "Don't ruin it."

Looking at her in surprise, Syo turned his head and flipped the book open carefully. Just going through a few pages (she could hear when he turned a page), he was making noises of awe. "Who took these?"

"My gran, she has a love for polaroids."

The air filled with natural noises, Hikari's eyes closing and starting to doze off when she heard Syo begin to sing softly, a bit hesitant.

**"(If I'm a man, I'll let this love burn…)**   
**(If I'm a man, I'll protect this love…)**   
**(For this love alone gives me power!)**

**In a world hazed by dust clouds, In the farthest ends of a wasteland,  
A heart burns with passion! Burning shot!**

**These feelings that no one can stop  
Have turned into fists!**

**A glimmer of tears, and a glimmer of stars**   
**Lalala… With a song, the healing night is also here.**   
**But my heart still roars!**   
**100's not enough! Go forth with 1000%!**

**(Full throttle chivalrous spirit!)**

**Nobody stands before me, because they don't know what to do!**   
**They don't want to bear**   
**The burn from my wrath…!**

**There are ten billion that exist under this sky.**  
If the tomorrow I protect is within this chest,  
I can shout out without hesitating,  
"Full throttle chivalrous spirit! Let's Go! Fight!"

**Let's live like we want to without regrets!  
Heros make the history! Shining soul!**

**Replace weapons with love! Let's start running!  
Aim for the dawn!**

**A glimmer of the future, a glimmer of the morning sun,**   
**Ulala… A song becomes a light**   
**And change into flames.**   
**100's not enough! Burst forth with 1000%!**

**(Full throttle chivalrous spirit!)**

**Let's go together, come with me! The wind can become our power!**   
**With fighting spirit and courage,**   
**Come on! Tear down the walls!**

**Our desire, stronger than a bolt of lightning,**  
Will create our path!  
Let your soul tremble!  
"Full throttle chivalrous spirit! Let's go! Fight!"

**Nobody stands before me, because they don't know what to do!**   
**They don't want to bear**   
**The burn from my wrath…!**

**There are ten billion that exist under this sky.**  
If the tomorrow I protect is within this chest,  
I can shout out without hesitating,  
"Full throttle chivalrous spirit! Let's Go! Fight!"

**Justice is everything!  
"Full throttle chivalrous spirit! Let's Go! Fight!""**

Hikari let out a low hum in her throat. "Those are nice lyrics."

The boy almost screeched, flinching away from her as she looked up at him. "Y-y-you were awake!?"

"Mm. Almost dozed off." Hikari sat up and rubbed her face, squinting slightly. "Is that what you came up with when you heard about the audition?"

"I-uh-kinda?" His cheeks were a bit pink and he was focused hard on the pictures. "I mean, sort of."

"It sounded nice," she offered, smiling when his cheeks darkened further. "And you know, the directors said if the movie goes well, they'll probably make a sequel."

"Really?" Syo perked up and looked at her. He grinned at her nod. "So I might get a chance with Hyuga-sensei…"

"You don't act like a fan when you're around him, do you?" She raised a brow at his hesitance. "A lot of celebrities don't really like that kinda thing, prefer people to just act normal around them."

"Are your relatives like that?"

She nodded. "Yep. It's why they all go batty if that happens. Kinda why we have a lot of interns at the agency, for distraction purposes."

He choked slightly. "Seriously?"

"They get paid well," Hikari shrugged lightly.

"That's insane…"

"Fans are more insane… actually…" Sticking a hand in her bag, she pulled her phone out and opened her calendar. "Kai-baka and his group are coming to the main branch in town for a recording at the end of our second month here, same day as our free day and a bit after the last of my film shots…" Her lips pursed. "I wonder if he planned that?"

"Why do you make it sound like a conspiracy?" Syo asked, amused.

"It's always a conspiracy, especially if Oyaji is involved."

He could only laugh at her petulant expression.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song is from S1E5 "Otokogi Zenkai Go! Fight!" (why is Syo hard to write?)


	6. Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH
> 
> WARNING: there is talk of miscarriage and (kind of?) bashing of a character as Hikari gets mad and shows off her potty mouth (redheads are said to have tempers after all).

After getting up for the free day, Hikari looked herself over in the bathroom mirror before nodding in satisfaction. A stomach-length, off-the-shoulder shirt in black with ‘Let’s Get It!’ in white going diagonal from left to right, royal blue tank top beneath it, and grey capris. After making a minor mess, she’d also found her black, mid-calf combat boots with mini heels. Finishing her outfit was a black leather satchel and a multitude of colored bracelets, with a silver necklace and a circular blue alexandrite resting on the hollow of her throat. Hikari’s hair was hanging in loose curls, held back by one of the royal blue silk ties she’d raided from her cousin’s friend’s closet (it was also where she got her sheep onesie; he still didn’t know about it missing despite it being six months). She only had eyeliner on to make her eyes pop and chapstick.

Her bag carried her sleep mask, wallet, rail pass, a Hayato CD (she wanted to see if he’d sign it), a portable CD player, a book for the train, mini comp books, a variety of pens, an umbrella for emergencies, and her favorite things, a grey taser and pepper spray. Her headphones and phone would stay out on her neck and in her pocket.

Having finished filming the last of her scenes the day before, she was bouncing with cheer as she made her way to her friends.

The sound of her cousin’s singing filled her ears as she made her way to the table she and her friends had conquered. Pausing the music, she shoved the headphones off and let them fall to her neck. “Hey.” She greeted, resting a hand on her bag.

Her friends looked at her, doing a double-take. “Hikari-chan?”

“That’s me,” she said, smiling at their surprised looks.

“Are you going somewhere?” Otoya asked.

“To Hayato-san’s concert. After, I’m going to visit my cousins.” Hikari answered, eyeing their expressions. “Do I look that odd?”

Tomochika shook her head, resting her chin on her hands. “We’ve only really seen each other in uniform and pajamas…”

“I’m worried,” Masato said abruptly.

“Eh?”

“If I didn’t have so much homework to do, I’d go with you…” Tomochika stood, nearing her roommate.

“Are you sure you should go alone, Hikari?” Otoya stood with a worried frown.

“What…”

“As long as you don’t get lost….” Masato mentioned.

“In that case, I can take the little flower,” Hikari looked up at Ren’s words, his arm wrapping around her shoulders.

“Oi…” She looked at her friends in disbelief.

“In fact…” he smiled coyly at her. “Why don’t we make a date of it?”

Rolling her eyes, Hikari shrugged his arm off. “I don’t know why you’re all being weird about this, I won’t get that lost. There are police for a reason.”

Stepping away from them, she stuck her tongue out and hurried away, slipping her headphones on. Glancing at the time on her phone, she frowned. _‘Ah, I need to hurry up or I’ll have to take a taxi…’_ Sliding into a jog, Hikari rushed through the hall. Rounding a corner, she yelped and fell back, trying to prevent herself from running into someone. Her bag slipped free and the CD popped out, having been on top.

“Sorry,” she said, shifting onto her knees and reaching for her bag and CD. Her eyes widened as Ichinose grabbed the case, him wincing as he straightened. Panic flooded her as she stood, putting her bag back on and flailing in panicked worry. “Did I kick you? Are you okay?! I’m so sorry, I really didn’t-!”

Voice muffled by his hand, he eyed the case and handed back. “I’m fine.” Ichinose turned and began walking away, releasing her.

“You’re not going to you’re brother’s concert?”

He paused in his steps, shaking his head. “Are you?”

“Ah… yeah…” She watched in confusion as he turned to smirk slightly at her.

“Make sure you don’t get lost.” He continued walking.

Her jaw worked for a moment, face heating, and she growled. “Why does everyone think I’m going to get lost?! Even Ichinose-san!” Bristling, her eyes lowered despite herself. A frown formed at seeing a wrap on his ankle.

Looking between her phone and the street numbers, she frowned deeply. Neither matched. Rolling her shoulders, she glanced around for an authority figure. Hikari tilted her head when she caught sight of familiar blond hair. _‘Natsuki-kun?’_

Feet pointed that way, Hikari headed to the blond on the bench. He had papers ot and was writing quickly, bag beside him. Natsuki looked nice in casual clothes, she noted, steps faltering a bit. _‘Nope. No need to get expelled, Hikari. And he’s just a friend, stop it. Ringo-sensei and Ryuya-sensei all over again, ugh.’_

She paused in front of him and scrutinized him carefully. “Natsuki-kun? What are you doing here?”

Natsuki lifted his head and stared at her. His eyes were uncovered and she wondered where his glasses were. Head going back down, she followed his gaze to the papers. Her brows went up at the many lines of composition, absently noting she was casting a shadow and moved to the side. She was still tilting her head to look at the notes. “Whoa… Natsuki-kun, those are brilliant.”

He stiffened, but didn’t stop. “Why don’t you take a hike?”

A blink. _‘Natsuki-kun isn’t harsh at all, so why…?’_ Lips pursed, she stepped forward with the decision to see if he’d react any more differently than Natsuki would. Her free hand caught his chin and jerked his face so she could meet his eyes, ignoring the ominous creak coming from the pen. “I may not know Natsuki-kun well, but I know for a fact that he is an only child. Who the hell are you?”

Light green eyes narrowed and the blond opened his mouth-

_Poomf_

Both blinked and watched the wrapper that had bounced off Hikari’s head roll down his music sheets. There was a pause of silence before Hikari finally talked. “Holding that thought, did you see who threw that?”

“A guy in a shirt with a satchel.” He said, watching as she straightened and picked the trash up, turning on her heel. Looking around carefully, Hikari pointed. “Him?”

“Yes-”

“Hold my stuff.” Pulling her bag off, she dropped it in his lap carefully while clenching the wrapper tightly. Hikari stalked off, intent, as she shoved her phone in her pocket, headphones on her neck. “Yah! Dangsin!”

The boy started and turned, yelping when she caught his collar as he neared a vending machine. “Wh-what-?!”

Hikari shoved the wrapper in front of his face dangerously so. “Haven’t you ever of a trash can, pyemul? Should I throw you away with it so you can remember such a simple thing?”

The boy squeaked in panic, flinching as she shoved the wrapper down his shirt. “Next time I’ll let my friend help you out.”

A gurgle left him as she let go, turning and walking back to Natsuki. Hikari blinked in confusion at the sight of Syo huffing beside Natsuki, who had his glasses on again. “Syo? Did you have Natsuki-kun’s glasses?”

Both blonds looked at her, the smaller surprised and the larger in confused joy. “Hikari-chan, when did you get here?” Natsuki exclaimed, standing and holding her bag out. “And how come I have your bag?”

“Eh?”

Sitting across from Natsuki at a cafe table, Hikari sipped at her chocolate frappe while she examined the difference from the Natsuki of earlier and the Natsuki of now. Unbiddenly, her eyes kept drifting to the tempting parfait in front of the blond. Her restraint was slipping the longer he simply smiled at it. _‘I should’ve gotten ice cream…’_

“Cute!” He all but cooed at the dish. She twitched. _‘Just eat it, dammit!’_

“Get it?” Syo murmured as he leaned over, hand slightly covering his mouth. “The way it works is when he takes his glasses off, he becomes an entirely new person named Satsuki.”

“Satsuki?” She repeated softly, hiding her mouth behind her cup, relieved he was finally eating the parfait.

“Mm. I don’t know if something happened to him before we met as kids, but Satsuki’s put 50,00 people who’ve ticked him off in the hospital. If Natsuki isn’t brought back, all hell breaks loose.”

Hikari glanced at him in disbelief. “Like the Hulk… Then I guess it’s a good thing I’m the one who got angry earlier.”

“Why did you leave your bag with him?” Syo looked at her curiously.

“Ah, well, ah… that’s a secret between Satsuki and I,” she didn’t look at him, lowering her eyes to Natsuki’s ice cream and squirming at the happy noises he was making. “Natsuki-kun!”

Her outburst startled him. “Hai?”

Hikari looked at him hopefully. “Can I have a bite?”

Syo facepalmed. “Seriously.”

She patted his face, not turning away from Natsuki. The blond blinked at her, before smiling slightly and sliding the dish towards her. “The ice cream from school doesn’t cut, ne?”

Lifting the spoon she’d received from a server, Hikari took a small scoop and slid the dish back to its recipient. She hummed lightly as she nibbled on the blueberry, focusing on Syo. “You were saying?”

“Huh? Oh,” he paused, thinking and watching as Natsuki concentrated on his dessert (he couldn’t help the small amusement rising when he saw the other blond watching Hikari with a wary look, arm around the dish protectively). “Satsuki’s an unexpectedly great composer. Whenever he’s free, he writes songs, a so-called genius.”

“Stars with transmissions?” She asked him curiously, finishing the berry off and starting on the ice cream.

He stared at her blankly. “That’s… actually a good possibility….”

“I think I want to meet him,” Hikari mused as she finished the spoonful. “Or maybe introduce him to Kai-baka, see if he can keep that idiot in line.”

“Impossible.” Syo deadpanned and earned a wounded look from the girl. “One, Satsuki doesn’t talk to people and Natsuki doesn’t remember a thing about him. Two, that meeting is asking for an apocalypse.”

A giggle escaped her. “He wreaks havoc and doesn’t remember any of it? Sounds like Gran when she goes to a farmers market…”

“Hikari-chan,” Natsuki’s voice made them look at him. She tilted her head. “I always find myself thinking that you remind me so much of my beloved Elizabeth!”

Knowing he wasn’t insulting her (and geez, it felt weird being comparing to a dog, of all animals), Hikari smiled slightly. “Why’s that?”

“When we’re together, I feel like I’m basking in the sun.”

“Despite our disastrous first meeting?” She raised a brow and chuckled at his slight wince. “Then again, I don’t really mind being in the sun. Doesn’t matter the weather.”

Natsuki chuckled, picking up the teapot and pouring him a cuppa. “Hikari-chan, you really understand me.”

Hikari saw the steam fogging up his glasses. “Ah…”

“Huh?” Natsuki lowered his cup and took his glasses in hand.

Syo panicked. “D-don’t take your glasses off, Natsuki!” The small blond moved closer, taking Natsuki’s hands and cup in his own. “Let me do that for you!” He began blowing.

Hikari was frozen, staring with slight confusion and spoon pressed to her lips. _‘Bromance?’_

Natsuki chuckled. “You’re nice to me, Syo-chan… Ah… Ah choo!”

Hikari and Syo stared in silent shock as Natsuki sneezed, knocking his glasses off his face.

“You two… are annoying.” Hikari blinked while Syo reeled back, the boy paling. Satsuki stood up, clenching a fist. “Unlike Natsuki, I’m not soft hearted. Don’t you dare whisper right in front of me!”

His fist swung and connected with the tree, knocking it over. It hit the tables and chairs next to them, barely missing a few women. Hikari saw the terrified posture of one of the women, freezing up as anger filled her. She moved her eyes back to Satsuki, anger rising.

**_////_ **

Syo squeaked in terror when he felt movement beside him. He could only watch as Hikari lunged and grabbed Satsuki by the collar, surprising the male when she brought their faces close together, noses nearly brushing as she began speaking, voice more a snarl than anything.

“I get it, you’re a huge ball of unstable fury due to being a Gemini. Just because you most likely want to protect Natsuki doesn’t mean you can take it out on the innocents. You’re pissed with us speaking about Natsuki in front of you? Fine, be pissed off with us. That tree did nothing, neither did those ladies. Look at the one in pink.” Syo did, even if she wasn’t talking to him. Said woman was pale and her companion was tugging her away, worry on her face. “Look at her, Shinomiya Satsuki.”

Glancing back, he saw the green eyes move over. Satsuki’s hands were holding her wrists and trying to pull her away from his throat. “Wh-what about her?” The taller blond asked through gritted teeth.

“She’s here to celebrate her one month pregnancy.” The words felt like a bucket of ice water. Satsuki stilled and turned his eyes back to her. “I heard her say that to her friend in line. I said it before, I don’t know much about Natsuki, but I know with him being a kind, caring person, he’d be horrified to hear he caused a miscarriage. That’s what could’ve happened if she’d been in the way of the tree. How would that be protecting him? And the others Syo told me you hurt, what if something bad happened to them later in life?”

Hikari released him and pulled away, Satsuki smoothing the fabric by his throat as he stared at her. He couldn’t read his face, but a quick look at Hikari told him she was still angry, but exhausted.

“You want to protect Natsuki? Fine, but try using words instead of actions. I don’t want to see him hurt any more than you do. And remember this, whether it’s today, tomorrow, or some time in the future, Natsuki will assemble you into his main personality. Don’t make him have to suffer more painful things if you can.” Hikari paused and rubbed her face. “Just put the damn glasses on, I have a call to make.”

Worry filled Syo. He didn’t mean for her to get angry. He also knew she’d be visiting her cousins, which should be a happy time since she mentioned once that she hadn’t seen them a few months before coming to the Academy. Syo watched as she went to the lady in pink, kneeling beside her and speaking, phone out. He glanced over at Satsuki, seeing the taller blond stare after the girl. Hesitating, Syo leaned forward and picked up the glasses, holding them up to Satsuki. If Hikari, who hadn’t even seen Satsuki in action, could stand up to him, he could too.

Satsuki looked down at him, face carefully blank as he spotted the glasses. Syo knew his face was pale, but he continued holding them out. Slowly Satsuki took them. Both looked over when Hikari came back, her face free of anger and more tired than before. She ignored their stares and picked up her drink, sipping at it as she pulled her wallet out.

“I’ll for this time, one of you can for next time,” she said, pulling out a few bills.

“Next time?” Satsuki asked before he could.

Verdant eyes moved to light green. “Whether it’s in writing or not, you owe me.”

Satsuki stared at her hard before simply placing the glasses on. Syo avoided Natsuki’s eyes as the taller blond blinked rapidly. “Eh? What is it? What happened?”

“It’s nothing, Natsuki,” Hikari said, focused on the dishes.

Natsuki frowned and looked at Syo, who simply gave a nervous laugh.

“Wow, what a coincidence!” Natsuki exclaimed. “We were on our way here, too!”

“Really? To which part?” Hikari asked, looking around. “Let me guess, Piyo-chan?”

At her smirk to the hat Natsuki was wearing, both boys chuckled. “Syo-chan said he wanted to see it-”

“Not at all!” Syo cut in and jabbed a finger at Natsuki. “Letting you go anywhere alone is dangerous, so I came with!”

“Aw, don’t be shy.”

Hikari chuckled at Syo’s indignant, “I’m not shy!”

She shook her head at them, catching their hands and tugging them along to the area for the concert. “Come on, boys, let’s go!”

They let her pull them along, still speaking with each other. Hikari gleefully forced a path so they were near the stage, letting them go. She watched as the screens began showing pictures of Hayato above the stage.

“At any rate, he really looks like Tokiya-kun, doesn’t he?” Natsuki noted, catching her attention.

“Naturally, they are identical twins!” Syo replied, turning to look at the stage, frowning slightly. “I wish this were Hyuga-sensei’s concert…”

Bumping her shoulder against his, she raised a brow. “Don’t you see him in class?”

He pouted slightly. “It’s not the same.”

Natsuki shared an exasperated look with her. “Syo-chan, watching a pro at work up close is an important way to study, too.”

“Mm,” Hikari nodded in agreement. “Pros usually have to be professional, only dropping the mask when they’re with someone they trust. It’s what Kai and Shiori usually do…”

Syo snickered. “Are you getting starstruck over Hayato?”

“A little,” she smiled at him sheepishly. “I’ve only ever been to Kai’s concerts and since he isn’t a solo idol, this concert has a different air to it. Not to mention being my cousin and his bandmates are like older siblings.”

Both blonds laughed, Syo tossing an arm around Hikari’s shoulder to give her a one arm hug as the screen changed. All three looked over as the fangirls around them shrieked.

Hikari smiled widely as Hayato landed on the stage and began singing. She listened intently, her smile faltering and moving more into a frown. Syo must have felt something, because he asked, “What’s wrong?”

“His voice is beautiful, but… it isn’t the same from before…” Hikari looked at Hayato in confusion, stiffening when he fumbled and dropped the mic. “Ah…”

The band being snapping at him the fangirls yelling louder, moving around. Hikari’s eyes widened when Natsuki was pushed and she grabbed his arm, staggering slightly and shifting to catch his other shoulder, feeling Syo move to help her. Their mouths dropped when the glasses fell off.

The sky rumbled, releasing rain, and lightning struck the light tower. The girls were screaming and running. Hikari jerked Natsuki (Satsuki?) up right and snagged Syo’s nearest arm, acting as an anchor so neither would be bumped. She could feel Syo stagger and latch onto S/Natsuki.

“Shit!” She hissed, turning her head to see the girls stampeding the exits, thankfully seeing the area clear and she let S/Natsuki go, Syo moving closer to her as he too released S/Natsuki. “Hikari-”

A yell from the taller blond cut him off. Both turned to look and Hikari’s eyes widened when she realized it was a pissed off Satsuki. Satsuki glared towards the stairs, eyes on Hayato as he pulled his bag off his shoulder and shoved to Hikari.

“Hayato!” He yelled, stepping towards the stage (Syo stepped closer, looking between the blond and raven before Hikari caught his shoulder, shaking her head. “He listened to me,” was all she said, setting Natsuki’s bag on her free shoulder.). “Why do you sing insincere songs?!”

Hikari looked around as Syo told her to look for the glasses anyway. She spotted them a few steps away and she cringed, seeing one lense crushed. She carefully picked it up and looked at Syo. “Should I go on stage?” Hikari cautiously removed the glass from the broken part.

They both looked to the stage, hearing instruments begin to play. “Ah,” Syo breathed out as they watched Satsuki stand with a mic in hand.

“I’m going to try something,” Hikari said.

“The lense are shattered!”

“So? It’s something!”

Moving past the gate, she slid up and onto the stage, the bags lightly knocking her off balance before she caught herself. Hikari stepped around wires and made her way to Satsuki, his song in her ears.

 **“Roughened shadow minds, driven almost to madness** **  
** **Who am I? Leading the dark moon!** **  
** **Pleasant dark wind, dazzling shining sky** **  
** **And yet I still yearn for the sunrise!**

 **Shadow and light, You and I, drawing closer** **  
** **Asking what’s real or fake** **  
** **Black? White? Why? Why?** **  
** **My heart shouts and sings,** **  
** **“Be a color that suits you!”**

 **Burning fiercely in the night sky, Orion! The flames of your heart,** **  
** **That’s the way it should be, and that’s how you should live!** **  
** **Good and evil and pompous talk should rely entirely on your own problems!** **  
** **Gemini syndrome!”**

Hikari moved, but she wasn’t fast enough as Satsuki whirled and caught her, an arm sliding around her waist, bypassing the bags, while the other caught the hand with glasses, holding them high in the air. He jerked her so their bodies were pressed together and Hikari cursed her hormones. _‘He’s my friend!’_ She wailed internally.

Satsuki gave her a slow smile. “Let’s do something fun.” He leaned forward like he was going to kiss her.

She steadied herself, gritting teeth before smirking up at him. “You won’t do anything. Nothing cruel.”

He pulled away… and right as Syo dropped the Piyo hat on his head. Natsuki blinked at her from behind round glasses. “Hikari-chan?” Releasing her, he looked over at Syo, confused. “Syo-chan? What happened?”

Chuckling at Syo’s expression, Hikari passed the glasses and bag back to Natsuki. “Your glasses broke in the fangirl stampede,” she informed him when he noticed his frames. “And I took your bag so it wouldn’t hold you down.”

“Oh, thank-”

Syo cut him off. “Let’s go!”

“Ehhh?”

“Just move now!” Syo began to tug Natsuki away. Hikari shook her head before hurrying after.

“Hey, wait-!” Her heel caught on a wire and Hikari was rushing to greet the floor, squeaking when she was caught. “A-ahh.”

Her head raised and Hikari blinked into the face of Hayato. She reeled back, her cheeks heating up. “S-sorry!” She squeaked, retreating onto her haunches. Eyes flicking down, Hikari froze when she spotted the wrap. “Ichinose-san?”

It was a whisper, barely audible, but his eyes still widened.

“Hikari, let’s go!” Syo yelled and she stood quickly, looking over. “Hai!”

She didn’t look back at Ichinose as she ran (or was it Hayato?! This is confusing!). Catching up to her blond friends as the rain poured, she called for them to follow her. They did, following her to the taxi area. Hikari rushed over to one after checking it was vacant, tapping on the window. “Excuse me, can you take us to the Hajime Hospital?”

The driver nodded. “I have towels on the floor.”

“Arigato!” Syo pulled the door open, sliding in quickly, Hikari after and Natsuki last.

“Hikari-chan, why are we going to the hospital?” Hikari looked at Natsuki before looking at the towel she was sitting on. Her eyes moved to the side, checking they had their seatbelts on.

“My, uh, parents work there.” Hikari bit her lip, twisting the towel between her fingers. “And, Ruka-chan is there.”

The boys were silent, but she didn’t check to see why.

A sigh came from her left and she felt Syo wrap an arm around her shoulders, hugging her close. “Wah, I feel special. Getting to meet one of Hikari’s many cousins.” Hikari’s eyes widened and she looked at him in surprise. He was grinning. “And just think, Natsuki, even Ren has only met her uncle.”

Natsuki tugged her hair, making her face him. “Special indeed. I can’t wait to see the girl who helped us meet Hikari-chan.”

Tears filled her eyes and she closed them tightly. She pressed a hand to her face. “You guys…”

** _////_ **

Natsuki twisted the strands of hair as he looked out the window, lost in thought. He had no idea what happened before the rain began and the time earlier from when he had Hikari’s bag. Then there was the cafe. Syo had been paler than he’d ever seen and Hikari had looked tired and completely done with the day. He glanced down at her. She was resting her head on Syo’s shoulder, leaning into the smaller blond. Syo was staring out the window as the taxi went along the roads.

Humming inaudibly, Natsuki released her hair, focusing on the raindrops on the window. ‘She still hasn’t told us much about her hospitalized cousin… and the other two are usually on shows or in magazines. And Ren-chan has only met their uncle, none of the aunts or grandparents. I wonder if this visit will mean we can meet her parents?’

His head turned as they entered the hospital parking lot and Natsuki felt Hikari shift and he glanced at her, watching her pull her wallet out. The driver parked and Hikari passed him the correct amount of money and they got out of the taxi, hurrying to the hospital entrance to get out of the rain.

Shaking her head, Hikari pulled her hair back into a ponytail. “I’m going to tell my parents we’re here and then we’ll head to the ICU to check in.” She smiled slightly at them before walking over to the receptionist, speaking quickly and quietly.

Natsuki examined her face and looked at Syo. “Syo-chan… do you think Hikari-chan has come to see Haruka-san at all since she entered the hospital?”

Blue eyes blinked at him then shifted to Hikari. “Usually, I’d say, “yeah, of course she’s visited her cousin,” but seeing her reactions… I don’t think so.”

They shared worried looks and quickly dropped them when Hikari began heading back to them. She was smiling slightly. “Umma and Appa have some things to do before joining us. Do you mind if we go to the hospital gift shop?”

Natsuki shook his head and glanced at Syo. “Not at all. Is there anything we can get?”

A slow shake of the head. “I just wanted to get a flower bouquet since Appa said my aunties and uncle haven’t been able to replace the recent bouquet.” Her lips twitched up. “Shiori-unnie, Kai-oppa, and Oyaji are terrible with flower bouquets.”

Syo began snickering as they follower her. “Natsuki is too. He’d always put colors that clashed badly together. I think it’s a side effect of coming from France, where the bouquets are different.”

A small pout formed on the taller blond’s lips. “That’s not nice, Syo-chan, besides I remember you kept doing the same.”

“Yeah, but I had the grace to give up while I could. You didn’t,” Syo grinned at him. Natsuki couldn’t help making a face at him. Light giggles drew their attention to Hikari, who was full on smiling now.

“I can see you both messing up ikebana. I’m not too good at it either, despite the lessons my gran gave me,” she gave them both a small smirk. “I memorize flower meanings then go to a florist. That’s really the only way I don’t mess them up and I don’t think gran has found out yet.”

“Let me guess, she’d be upset?” Syo asked, tilting his head to her as they entered the shop, both blonds falling behind as she headed to the florist area.

“That and she’d have the whole family go through remedial lessons. Uncle Haruto is actually pretty good, despite having needed lessons.” Hikari trailed off as she went to the florist, head moving to look around the flowers. Natsuki and Syo let a distance between them form, letting her focus.

The young man behind the counter looked at them curiously and offered a slight smile. “Is there something I can do for you?”

Tugging her hair, Hikari didn’t answer for a moment. “Can I get a ikebana flower bouquet of bluebells, lavender, and white roses?”

A nod as the florist moved around. “What kind?”

“Hmm,” Hikari bounced in place. “Moribana, please.”

The florist nodded as he moved around already shifting the lavender around the suiban he grabbed, which was a pale grey color. Stepping away from the counter, Hikari looked at them. “Aside from the cafe, have you guys eaten anything?”

They stared at her before looking at each other slowly, blank. “Now that you mention, I don’t think we have.”

“I only remember the couple donuts we grabbed before leaving, since we woke up late,” Syo added, arms crossing as he frowned.

“Seriously?” Hikari eyed them in bemusement. “Even I ate before coming out.”

Natsuki smiled nervously at her. “You won’t tell Tokiya-kun, will you? He scolds Otoya enough for the rest of our group.”

She offered a wry smile. “They have fruit vending machines around the waiting rooms if you want to hunt them down. You could also go to the cafeteria.”

The taller blond looked at Syo, hesitant, while the smaller teen frowns in thought. Syo looked up at Natsuki, questioning. “How about after we head to the room? That way we know where to go after?”

He quickly nodded. “That sounds best.” Natsuki offered Hikari a small smile. “Do they have maps?”

Hikari blinked. Her jaw moved silently for a moment. “I have no clue. I already know where everything is, and if I don’t I usually ask my parents.”

Syo leaned towards her, suspicious. “Why do I get the feeling you were one of the brats that ran screaming around the hallways?”

She hmphed and turned away, nose in the air. “I’ll have you know that was Shiori-unnie, not me. Kai-oppa was actually calm back then.”

A throat cleared and they looked at the florist, whose lips were twitching. He motioned to the small bouquet. “It’s ready, miss.”

The girl beamed and pulled out cash, swiftly passing over the correct amount. Hikari carefully picked it up after putting her wallet away and smiled softly at them. “Let’s go. We can pick up a map at the ICU receptionist.”

They nodded and followed her down the hall to the elevator. Reaching the third floor, the three ventured down a hall to where they spotted another reception desk. When Hikari checked in first, Syo gently took the bouquet from her and passed it back after she got sanitizer. The blonds copied her easily, Natsuki quickly getting a map (it even showed where the vending machines and water fountains were, neat!). Syo nonchalantly shoved his way beneath his arm to look at the map, too. Natsuki held back a coo at the small flush on Syo’s cheeks. As it is, he rubbed his cheek against his uncovered head, blatantly ignoring Syo’s grumbled, “Stop it…”

“Hey, we’re here,” Hikari’s voice cut in and they lifted their heads, blinking at the faint smile on her face. Green eyes flicked to the door she’d motioned to and Natsuki released Syo, straightening up. “Come on in.”

Syo neatly bumped his hip against Natsuki, earning a small squawk as he quickly darted off after Hikari.

Natsuki huffed. “Mean, Syo-chan!” He walked after them, shutting the door behind him and looked around. There were machines connected to the girl in the bed. She had similar features to Hikari, like her hair, but Hikari’s strands were darker. Plus, with the wires, the girl seemed even more delicate. He glanced at Syo, who was eyeing the equipment warily like it would come to life any time. Hikari was moving around the room, changing out the bouquets and fixing up the sheets even though they were already wrapped firmly around the girl.

“Nanami Haruka, right?” Syo interrupted the silence, his voice soft as he glanced at the patient.

Hikari nodded as she stood back, pulling up a chair and sitting. “Mhmm…”

She stared silently at Haruka, her face strangely blank and he shared a glance with Syo, concerned. Natsuki walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, and squeezed gently. “Ne, me and Syo-chan are going to get something eat. You catch her up on your life at the Academy, okay?”

Her head pressed against his chin before nodding. Natsuki released her and motioned Syo out of the room first, following quietly and shutting the door partly, leaving a small opening.

Syo tugged the map from his hand, looking it over. “Let’s give them a few minutes.” He darted off, earning a small “Hey!” from Natsuki.

**_////_ **

_“I remember tears streaming down your face_ _  
_ _When I said I’ll never let you go_ _  
_ _When all those shadows almost killed your light_ _  
_ _I remember you said, “Don’t leave me here alone,”_   
But all that’s dead and gone and passed tonight.”

Syo lifted his head from the apple he’d gotten from the vending machine, a bundle of grapes in his other hand. Sharing a glance with Natsuki, they both stopped and listened.

_“Just close your eyes_   
_The sun is going down_   
_You’ll be alright_   
_No one can hurt you now_   
_Come morning light_   
_You and I’ll be safe and sound_

_Don’t you dare look out your window, darling,  
Everything’s on fire…” _

Bumping his shoulder against Natsuki’s arm, he motioned them away from the door. Reaching a bench that was close to the door, they sat down and put down the fruits and drinks they’d gotten. Syo grabbed the apple juice and cherries, placing them off to the side for Hikari. Blue eyes darted to the door in curiosity. “Wonder if she wrote that song herself…”

“She did, but it wasn’t just her,” a voice from behind answered. Painfully swallowing the piece of apple, Syo turned around at Natsuki’s wide-eyed stare. He blinked up at the man who had Hikari’s hair and eyes. The man was almost as tall as Natsuki and he was tan. His eyes held the same love for life like Hikari’s held, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “Kai and Shiori helped with the lyrics and Haruto did the music with mom. It was after they heard about Haruka’s illness.”

The blonds shared a look and Natsuki scooted over, pulling the fruits over. “Do you want to sit down, sir?”

“You can call me Hideaki, if you want, and thank you.” The man sat between them, leaning back against the wall and staring at the door. “Do either of you have dinner plans?”

Syo bit into his apple, rolling his plans in his mind. “I don’t think so. After the Pokey show, we were going to go back to the dorms.”

A noise of protest left Natsuki. “It’s Piyo-chan!”

“Isn’t that what I said?” Syo blinked innocently from behind his halfway eaten apple. Natsuki frowned at the tiny blond, pulling out the wounded puppy eyes. “You look like you’re about to cry, stop it.”

Natsuki huffed but turned his attention back to Hideaki. “May I ask why you asked?”

Hideaki smiled softly. “Kai and his group are coming to the main Nami house for dinner, dad asked if I could ask you two when he heard you were with Hikari.”

The teens looked at each other again and Syo shrugged. “As long as we don’t miss curfew, I don’t mind.”

His roommate nodded. “We’ll have to email Ringo-chan just in case, though.”

The man nodded in understanding. “You can do so out here. It’s only in the hospital rooms you can’t.”

Natsuki nodded, and placing the banana peel in the plastic bag it came in, he tugged his phone out. Syo looked at Hideaki, many questions running through his mind about the man’s daughter and niece, but he couldn’t settle on any. Luckily, the man seemed to notice and realize that. “Is there any major question you wanted to ask?”

Syo shifted, eyes lowering for a moment. “Ah, uh, well… what happened to Haruka?”

Shifting to get comfortable, Hideaki hummed. “You don’t pull any punches, do you, Syo-kun?”

The tiny blond flailed in panic, not wanting to upset him. His apple core was nearly sent flying.

“We were told that Haruka wouldn’t make past puberty,” Hideaki cut through his panicky thoughts. The two blonds froze and stared at him, still. “That was when she was… five, I think? It’s been more than a decade at least. She couldn’t stay in the city full time and at seven she was diagnosed with chromesthesia, which made it a bit difficult to be around loud surroundings, which is why she lived with my mother in the country. Hikari joined her for the majority of the year, only visiting me and her mother during holidays… has Hikari told you about Hayato-san and her dream?”

Natsuki answered aloud while Syo nodded. “She said he helped Haruka-chan when she nearly had a panic attack in the city.”

“Do all of you know?” Hideaki asked, clearly meaning their circle of friends. At the dual nods, he smiled slightly. “I’m glad Hikari was able to confide in you guys. Last year, Haruka threw herself into preparing for Saotome Academy, Hikari doing the same but without the overly fervorous prep work. She forgot to take of herself and had a heart attack.” His lips pursed slightly  and his voice got softer, morose. “Hikari was the only one with her at the time and as they had both been cleaning my brother-in-law’s house, she was brought here quickly.”

Their eyes were wide. Syo was hesitant. “Is that why Hikari never visited before today?”

The man nodded. “She was too afraid, from what Han-na told me.”

The two blonds fell silent for a moment. “Why did the doctors say Haruka-chan wouldn’t make it past puberty?”

“CAD, coronary artery disease. It refers to a group of diseases, specifically cardiovascular diseases. For Haruka, it’s stable angina. But with her not taking care of herself and letting the stress get to her for Saotome and puberty still not over for her...” The man trailed off.

“Don’t apologize for asking, boys,” a feminine voice cut in their conversation. Glancing up, they stared in mild shock at the woman who could be Hikari’s twin in everything but color. Black hair pulled up in a tight bun, brown eyes set in round shapes, and pale lips turned up into a tired, wry smirk. The woman passed a cup of coffee over to Hideaki. “And you. If I have to hear one more complaint about you hogging the microscopes, I’m taking away your anpan.”

Hideaki got this startled look. “Have I been doing that, Han-na?”

The woman stared at him stonily, sipping at her coffee. “One more complaint.”

A small laugh came from the door, earning surprised looks. “Come on, Appa, you already know Uma is going to win, so stop acting.” Hikari’s smile was bright despite the redness around her eyes and tear stains on her cheeks as she looked around the people in front of her. She winked Syo and Natsuki. “Whatever he says, Appa is Oyaji’s son. He’ll mess with your head.”

The father bristled as he stood up, the blonds copying him as they picked up their trash. “Hikari, no one can be worse than Oyaji. Be happy he’s with mom at the moment and only us younger generations will be at the house.”

Han-na chuckled as she moved to hug her daughter. “Hello, little light,” the woman murmured and kissed Hikari’s forehead. The teen hugged back, wide smile forming.

“Are we going to Samchon’s house?” She asked her parents, glancing between them.

‘Samchon?’ Syo mouthed at Natsuki, who shrugged as he stole a grape from Syo, earning a scowl.

Natsuki brushed it off and stood, picking up the cherries and apple juice, handing them to Hikari who took the foodstuff with surprised pleasure. She grinned at him as she opened the cherry bag, putting the drink in her bag and walking after her parents, the boys on either side of her. “Thanks, you guys.”

They tossed their trash away at the corner. “No problem, Hikari,” Syo replied while Natsuki gave her a one-armed hug.

She leaned into it before pulling away, glancing at Han-na. “What’s the plan for dinner, Uma?”

“That depends, what would you all want? Something Japanese, Korean, or some other ethnicity?” Han-na glanced back at them, linking her hands with Hideaki.

The three teens began discussing ideas, Hikari interested in French dishes with Syo and Natsuki interested in the Korean dishes. They forgot about Kai and his band being at the house as well, despite Hikari having mentioned it earlier.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First song is S1E6's song "Orion de SHOUT OUT." The second is Taylor Swift's "Safe & Sound."
> 
> It’s been… what, a month? I really didn’t mean for it to take this long, but I got a bit carried away with coming up with Hikari’s history (insert huge info dump, woops!) and figuring out what Haruka could have. I just want to make one thing clear - all of the medical stuff is from wikipedia and if it’s wrong, I don’t know if I’ll change it or not. I mean, I can, but I think I’ll just pull out the old artistic license excuse. If it’s really and completely off, I’ll alter it (but only if someone tells me, otherwise SOL). Some other fandoms have been dragging me to them, too, which will probably end up stuck in my Docs, but Idunno. Just expect slow updates as this writer has problems when it comes to ideas and trying not to copy fanfics that’re already written (looking at you ‘One Note At A Time’ (on ffnet)).
> 
> Anyway, I’m sorry for taking so long (and rambling). You got 6730 words from me, though. I hope it makes up for it? (Don’t answer that, I’ll probably bawl if you’re upset with me)


	7. Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

An amused smile formed on her lips as she looked back at Natsuki. “You know, you can stretch your legs out.”

He glanced at her then to her parents. “Can I?”

Han-na laughed, turning slightly in the passenger seat. “Of course. You’re lucky we drove in the van, otherwise you’d be squished, Natsuki-kun.”

Syo snickered. “Natsuki’s flexible enough. I’m sure he’d fit.”

“Not in a K-car,” Hideaki cut in, smirking slightly. “It was supposed to be Kai’s gift but he gave it to Han-na after her car broke down.”

“That was a bad month,” Hikari added. “For some reason all the vehicles gave up on Uma’s side of the family.”

“Samchon?” Syo asked.

The older man nodded as he switched lanes. “That’s ‘uncle’ in Korean.”

“My older brother, Song Byeong-su, somehow messed up his radiator. Didn’t get in an accident or anything, but one day it got messed up and he about fried his car.” Han-na shook her head. “Even Hikari mentioned she wanted to avoid the Song curse and take public transport or ask for rides.”

Said girl shrugged. “If I need to, I’ll get a moped.”

“One of those old fashioned ones or a recent one?” Natsuki asked curiously.

Hikari tilted her head. “Don’t know. I just know I’d rather have a moped. Doesn’t seem like they’ll have a lot of problems like a car or van.”

“We’re here.” Hideaki cut in, pulling into the three story house and the blonds whistled.

“That is huge,” Syo blinked at the building and Hikari snickered.

“Wait till you see the inside. Gran and Oyaji wanted the house to be of complete comfort.” Hikari unbuckled her seat and followed Syo out, Natsuki behind her. When the tall blond got out, she grabbed their bags, passing him his. “Oh, is that the Rippler’s van?”

“Yeah. Did you forget they’d be here?” Hideaki looked at his daughter strangely.

“Uh… Maybe?” She shrugged sheepishly, trailing behind them with Syo and Natsuki to her sides. Said two blonds chuckled at her. Hikari rolled her eyes as her dad opened the door, sliding her boots and replacing them with slippers. “Hang on, we’ve got extra slippers in the closet.”

It took a bit (and Syo almost tripping Natsuki when his shoes slipped from his hands), but they got the slippers on and headed to the family room, her parents heading to the kitchen.

“We’re having Korean cuisine, tonight. Syo, Natsuki, are you okay with seafood?” The two nodded and Han-na smiled. “Alright. And, Hikari, we’ll have some spicy tteok-bokki for you.”

The girl lit up and hugged them tightly before they entered the kitchen. “Thank you, Uma, Appa!” 

Laughing, the two hugged back. “You’re welcome. Go on to the family room.” Hideaki and Han-na entered the kitchen, waving hands at the teens.

The three classmates moved further into the house, the two blonds on either side of Hikari. She had a slight bounce in her step as they walked through the door. Hikari got a real bounce in her step when she spotted her cousin. Seeing he had nothing in his hands, she rushed the last few steps and tackled him, nearly hitting the coffee table on the way down.

“Kai-baka!”

The brunet flailed in surprise, muffled squawks escaping his kiss with the rug. “What the hell!” She giggled as they rolled, her back bumping into the table leg.

“Yo, Hikari,” a voice, deep and calm, came from the left.

She twisted and released her cousin, who collapsed in her lap as she sat up, beaming. “Yuuta, it’s nice to see you! You guys, too, Akira, Itsuki, Touma!”

Touma Tsuji laughed and placed his colored papers down. Standing from his spot on the floor, the tall brunet reached and pulled her free from her bemused cousin. He hugged her tightly. “It’s nice to see you, too! And who’re are your friends?”

She craned her head back to look at Syo and Natsuki, motioning for them to introduce themselves. They did and she took the time to look over Kai’s bandmates, not having seen them personally for a few months. 

The lone brunet of the group, Touma, was just a teeny bit taller than Otoya and tan like Ren. Like Otoya, he was a happy-go-lucky kind of guy, hazel eyes bright with humor and covered by messy bangs. He was the main dancer of Meteorz. Yuuta Hanamoto, the leader and (only) calm member. As tall as Natsuki and his hair almost reached a bit below his shoulder blades. Yuuta was also a pale albino (a really, really, pretty albino complete with garnet red eyes) and the youngest member. Akira Yoshioka, the oldest member, had lightly tanned skin, chin length purple hair with black tints and yellow-brown eyes slightly covered by bangs. Akira was the same height as Ichinose and while serious at times, he was too restless to sit for a long time. Itsuki Kure was the second oldest member and almost more immature than Kai (almost, not quite). He had dirty blond hair cut in short spikes blue grey eyes; Itsuki was the same height as Syo, if a bit shorter. Last, but not least, her cousin. Slightly wavy orange tinted red hair, his eyes were a darker green than Hikari’s and he was the same height as Touma. Kai’s mom, Noriko, was where the children got their pettiness.

Hikari beamed brightly and made grabby hands at Yuuta from around Touma, making said albino chuckle gently and stand up as Touma moved out of the way. Yuuta huffed softly when she squeezed him tightly, patting her head before sweeping her up and into Itsuki’s arms, who cackled.

“My chibi, my chibi!” He crowed, holding her princess style as he squished their cheeks together and spun a few times. “How I’ve missed you so! Akira, catch!”

“What? Hey, wait!” Akira flailed in panic as he went to catch an airborne Hikari. She couldn’t stop giggling, pressing her face against an exasperated Akira. “Itsuki, stop doing that, dammit. And you, Hikari,  _ stop laughing _ . You almost hit the table again.”

She wheezed helplessly and he groaned, turning to drop her on the couch. He looked at her blond classmates, face serious as he sat down on the giggling girl, earning a louder wheeze as all the air escaped her body. Hikari vainly tried to get him off as he raised a hand, index finger free while the others were curled.

“Kurusu-kun, Shinomiya-kun, should you ever find yourself surrounded by Nanamis, you have very few ways of keeping your sanity, unless you’ve already lost it,” Akira looked very pointedly at Itsuki, who merely blinked at him.

“What are they?” Syo asked as he helped Kai up, the taller teen pouting at his cousin. Natsuki had settled in criss cross beside Yuuta’s arm chair. The shorter blond sat beside his roommate.

“In short?” Touma answered, grinning slightly. “Run, blend in the background as much as you can, or go with it.”

Natsuki blinked at him, turning to glance at Syo. “Don’t we usually just go with it?”

“Seeing as you’re probably just as bad…” Syo trailed off and shrugged, leaning on the coffee table. Natsuki gave him a wounded look.

Kai snickered. “I can see how Hikari gets along with you guys.” They looked back at his cousin when they heard a loud thump.

Akira had fallen off the couch, writhing on the floor. Hikari, sitting up, pushed a slipper against his back. Ignoring him, she looked at the rest of the guys. “So what’s with the papers and sticks? Also, is Chu-chan here?”

Yuuta shook his head, eyeing Akira curiously. “Chu-chan is in her bed, Kai and Itsuki wore her out. The papers are for kusudama flowers and the sticks are so we can stick them together like bouquets.”

“What for?” Natsuki asked, peering closer at the colored paper.

“Aunt Han-na wanted to do something for the maternity ward, so we’re making the bouquets for the mothers.” Kai nodded to Touma and Itsuki. “Those two and I plan on making kusudama flower balls with ribbons for the kids in pediatrics.”

Glancing at her friends, they shrugged at her silent question and she let Akira up. “Want help?

Kai shared nods with his bandmates and motioned to the papers. “Have at it. I’ll get more glue, tape, and ribbons.”

Hikari moved to spread the sheets while he did so, raising a brow. “Just how many different patterns did you guys buy?”

Yuuta hummed, looking up from his flower. “Ah… no idea. Touma, Itsuki, and Kai went sort of crazy in the craft aisle.”

“Oh! Hikari-chan, can you pass me the butterfly and flower paper?” Natsuki asked, pointing to the yellow butterfly-flower papers near her elbow. She did, looking at Syo curiously.

The tiny blond looked over the papers carefully. “The music notes and… the clouds.”

Passing them over, Hikari grabbed some with stars and hearts herself. She also snagged some scissors and glue, her fingers moving to start a star flower covered kusudama.

“Say, you guys know what Auntie is cooking?” Itsuki asked as he fiddled with the sticks. “I think I smell fish.”

“I think it’s roe bibimbap,” Hikari answered absently. To her classmates, she added, “bibimbap is a Korean rice dish with rice in a bowl, napa cabbage kimchi, different vegetables and sprouts, fried eggs, and uma sometimes adds red pepper paste to dishes of those who like it. Sesame seeds are a favorite topping of hers, too. You guys able to eat that?” She glanced at them before refocusing on her flowers.

The two younger blonds had shared a look before answering. “I’m okay with anything as long as there’s no wasabi and Natsuki hasn’t cooked it,” Syo deadpanned and Hikari snickered. Natsuki squawked in protest, pouting once more. “Plus, if you’ve seen what Natsuki has put in his baking… Let’s just say he can eat anything, too.”

“I want to ask, but I don’t think I want to know…” Touma muttered, his words slightly disrupted from folding paper.

“Would that have anything to do from that first month at the Academy, with Natsuki’s parachute?”

Hikari lifted up her head at the silence she got. Her eyes blinked at the stunned looks on their faces. “What?”

Syo’s jaw was moving while Natsuki was simply blinking at her. “You saw it?” Syo sounded horrified.

“Uh, yeah? I was walking Masato back to the dorms…” She eyed them both strangely. “Why do you think Natsuki’s called ‘Parachute?’”

“You left me!” Syo exclaimed, waving his glue stick at her, with Yuuta absently leaning forward to grab it from his and put it down on the table.

She raised a brow, smiling slightly. “Yeah, and I left Masato, too.” Hikari paused to scowl at the fold that was fighting her. “He never told me how he got back in the dorm.”

“Hey,” Touma suddenly cut in and the three looked at him. “Is that my tie?”

Hikari blinked at him before looking at the loosely tied tie hanging around her neck. “Yeah.”

The brunet squinted at her. “Hikari… are you the reason why I’m missing a onesie?”

She tilted her head and shrugged. “Probably.”

He facepalmed and looked at Syo and Natsuki with an exasperated look. “That’s another thing you need to worry about. Nanamis have this tendency to steal things.”

A scowl formed at the words, but she didn’t get a chance to debate the matter as Kai dropped the supplies on the table. “Here we go!” He cheered slightly before looking between his bandmate and cousin. “Uh… somethin’ wrong?”

“Touma called us kleptomaniacs!” Hikari tattled, pointing at the brunet childishly.

“Oh… well, we kinda are.” He shrugged as he sat back down, unconcerned with her pout. “I think I have some stuff from Akira’s party last year.”

“What?” The purple-haired male looked at him in surprise. Akira was ignored.

Natsuki lowered his halfway done flower, peering at Hikari. “Have you taken some of our stuff?”

“No clue. Well, maybe Masato’s bandana. But! They’re the plain white ones…” Her cheeks heated at the unimpressed looks she got.

“Hikari.” Syo narrowed his eyes. “For the past week, Masato has been bugging us because he thinks we have his bandanas.  _ Give them back. _ ”

Wilting, she dropped her head. “I will…”

“Why do you have them anyway?” Natsuki wondered, carefully snipping at his paper.

“Headbands. Tomo-chan doesn’t have any and I forgot mine at Gran’s.” 

Yuuta chuckled. “At least you didn’t paint with them. I don’t think Masato-san would like it much if you did.”

Kai perked up, lips pursing as he eyed his bandmate. “Is that a poke? I think that was a poke.”

Hikari and the males began laughing as Kai proceeded to make faces at a (slowly failing) stoic Yuuta. They all jumped at a startled yell from the hall.

“CHU! GET YOUR ASS OUTTA MY BED, YOU OVERSIZED WEINER DOG!”

Brightening, Hikari bounced in her seat as she twisted, calling out, “Shiori-nee!”

A few thuds came from the hall, a snarled “move it!” and the sound of nails clicking the wooden floor. After a few stomps, a huge blur of brown and white leapt onto the unoccupied couch seat beside Akira before forcing the male back into the couch (he let out a squawk as he held his scissors up in the air to avoid hurting the furry beast) and smacking into Hikari, a tongue licking at her face.

Flailing, she dropped the folded paper and grappled with the half grown St. Bernard, laughing. “Chu-chan! I’ve missed you!” Forcibly pushing the dog’s butt down, she hugged Chu to her.

“You know,” Syo began, gripping Natsuki tightly to keep him in place, “I kinda thought she’d be smaller.”

Touma laughed, reaching to pat Chu and got licks for it. “Her full name is Chupacabra. We had a tour in the U. S. and found this girl in Alaska. We named her when she scared Aunt Rin in Texas.”

Natsuki made grabby hands, jumping up in joy as he freed himself from Syo and settled beside Hikari, Touma easily retreating and letting him rest against the arm. The blond quickly began cooing and petting Chu, laughing when Chu began sniffing and licking his fingers. Hikari rubbed her cheek against Chu’s shoulder and tilted her head back, grinning into the face of her older cousin.

Shiori Nanami smirked slightly, her deep green-yellow eyes were pleased. Her hair pulled back in a short ponytail, the older girl was about the same height as Otoya. She must’ve come back from a scene, dressed in a pale purple button up and grey rugged jeans. 

Leaning down, Shiori ruffled Hikari’s hair, ruining her ponytail. “Sup, baby animal.”

Releasing an arm, she caught her cousin’s hands and squeezed. “You look taller. How?”

Shiori snickered. “I’m borrowing Oyaji’s slippers. He’s with Gran tonight and the rest of the week.”

“Ohh.”

“Yup, so who’re your friends?” Shiori glanced at Natsuki then Syo. “Lemme guess, this guy is Natsuki and the one at the table is Syo.”

“Yep!” Natsuki chirped, reluctantly pulling away from Chu, going to sit down in his spot again. “It’s nice to meet you, Shiori-san!”

“You too. Kusudama flowers? Need help putting the ribbons on?” Shiori asked Itsuki.

“Yeah, you mind? I can’t twist them right.” The blond scowled as he tossed the actress the ribbons and Shiori swiftly caught it, moving to lounge on the back of the couch as she twisted the ribbons, tying them off.

“By the way, Aunt Han-na said that after you guys eat, Akira is to take you back to the Academy,” Shiori said, tossing a finished ribbon to Itsuki.

Akira flailed slightly, almost dropping his stick. “Why do you Nanamis insist on dropping things on me?!”

No one answered as Chu moved to lick his cheek.

* * *

 

Fingers danced across the piano, Hikari’s eyes closed with the faint sound of rain sprinkling through the nearby window. A few more notes and the song ended, her chartreuse eyes opening. Her cheeks warmed as Ringo praised her.

“That was wonderful, Hikari-chan! To be expected of the girl who had the highest score in this month’s songwriting test!” Ringo was beaming slightly. “Your songs, your piano, the way you progress with each song, it’s all fabulous!”

Hikari stood, smiling faintly as she bowed and walked back to the front, leaving the sheets behind as instructed.

Ringo continued. “Well, that’s it for today.” The bell tolled. “I’ll have a new assignment for you next week, so get plenty of practice, okay?”

She accepted her bag from Otoya and headed to the door, smiling slightly. “I’ll see you guys later.”

“Have fun with Ryuya-sensei!” Tomochika giggled at the face Hikari gave her.

Hurrying, she headed down to the main hall, not wanting to be late in training with Ryuya. The man insisted on her being up to snuff for the sequel, which was in the writing stages. Hikari didn’t have a choice nor time to argue as she was ran ragged at every session. It’d be worse because of the rain since they’d have to use the treadmills, treadmills that he usually messed around with for the speed. Hikari blinked when she spotted Ichinose and was thrown back to the day before. “Hey, Ichinose-san!”

The teen paused and looked at her, face stoic. Immediately, from his tense shoulders, she threw away the thought of asking about ‘Hayato’.

Not letting him say anything, she rushed out, “Is your leg okay? After me running into you multiple times?”

He blinked slowly at her. “My leg is better… please don’t bring it up again.”

She nodded in understanding before offering him a mischievous smile. “So would you happen to know how I could get an autograph from a certain somebody?”

His brow twitched and he scowled lightly at her. “Don’t bring up that plebeian either.”

A giggle escaped her and she waved at him, backing away. “Sorry, sorry. Couldn’t help myself. Just take care of yourself, okay? Don’t try splitting yourself into three.” Turning on her heel, she jogged off to the tiny workout room Ryuya used for their training.

Gazing absently at her spaghetti, Hikari ripped part of her garlic bread and dipped it in the sauce. _ ‘Wonder why he’s actin’ like Hayato. Maybe so he doesn’t get mobbed by fans? Ah, so many reasons and I can’t ask. Maybe my family may know? Oyaji has a lot of connections.’ _

A foot bumped her leg and she looked up, garlic bread in mouth as she tilted her head questioningly at Tomochika. “Mmm?”

The redhead rolled her eyes and raised a brow at her roommate. “Hikari, I’ve been trying to get your attention. Why’re you lost in thought?”

Hikari swallowed and shrugged. “Just daydreamin’. Kinda tempted to see if Gran is going to have a stand in the farmer’s market.”

Tomochika eyed her. “So nothing about being a bit close with Natsuki at the concert?”

The peach haired girl scowled and stabbed at her noodles. “Tomo-chan, it was so baaaad. My hormones lost it when we got close.”

“Hahaha!” Tomochika laughed as she wiggled her brows. “It was fun though, right?”

“He’s my friend!” She wailed and took in a forkful in sulky motions. “I don’t wanna be expelled because the damn blond doesn’t know anything about personal space.”

Her friend choked slightly on a forkful. A hand to her mouth, Tomochika smiled wryly. “I feel the same with Otoya and Daiki. Somehow, I keep getting too close.”

“Same way?” Hikari offered her watery eyes and received a snicker.

“Same way?” Tomochika patted her free hand.

**_////_ **

Otoya sat down beside Tokiya, Natsuki moving to sit on the redhead’s left side. Syo sat across from Otoya, Ren to Natsuki, and Masato to Tokiya.

“Hey, Tokiya-kun!” He greeted his roommate, setting his tray down.

Tokiya blinked at him, an eyebrow going up as he looked around at the teens interrupting his solitude. “Hello,” he said after a moment, nodding to the others.

“Yo, Ichi,” Ren waved a hand slightly and Natsuki beamed at the darker haired teen.

The tallest blond chirped, “Good evening!”

Masato nodded at Tokiya and Syo copied Ren, already taking a bite of his fettuccine. The bluenet murmured softly, “Good evening.”

“Is that ishikari-nabe?” Otoya asked Ren curiously.

The strawberry blond nodded, head tilting slowly. “Is that curry bread?”

“Baked curry bread.” Otoya quickly corrected, pulling his tray further away from an unimpressed looking Tokiya. “I made sure it wasn’t deep fried, so don’t give my food that look.”

Tokiya eyed him before turning back to his own sandwich. 

Syo snickered and Ren looked at him and Natsuki. “By the way, Ochibi-chan, what happened yesterday? We saw part of Hayato’s concert.”

Absently noting Tokiya stiffen, Otoya peered at his blond friends curiously, nibbling on a bread piece. 

The blonds blinked and shared looks. “Ah, we met some of Hikari’s family.” Syo continued to tell them what went on yesterday after getting in the taxi, Natsuki chiming in from time to time.

Ren was frowning near the end. “Does this mean I can stop being yelled at for something I didn’t do?” He was looking at Masato.

Said teen’s face was slightly pink. “How was I to know Hikari would take something of mine?” Masato frowned slightly. “I don’t even know when she could have taken them.”

The five teens who usually were around the girl fell silent in thought. Natsuki finally spoke, the words coming out slowly. “Since she’s in the composer course, don’t we usually leave our bags with her when we practice our dances?”

Masato sighed, clicking his chopsticks absently. “We do. My bag is always close to her as well. I’ll ask her after class tomorrow.”

“Why would you have her watch your bags anyway?” Tokiya asked curiously, finishing off his sandwich and placing his veggie cup container on his tray.

Sharing looks, Ren said, “Because otherwise we’d forget them. Lady at least gives them back unlike other girls.”

Tokiya raised a brow and shook his head. He stood, nodding to his classmates. “I have to go. I’ll see you later in the dorm.”

“Be careful in the rain,” Natsuki voiced. 

The next afternoon, while carrying a tray of drinks to the tray the group commandeered for study, Hikari tilted her head when Otoya exclaimed quietly. “Eh, Tokiya?!”

Syo nodded, hands linked together as his chin brushed his fingers. “He was kicked out of S class.”

Sliding the tray on the table, Hikari frowned. “Why’s that?”

The small blond shrugged as he grabbed his hot chocolate from her after she pointed it out. “Hyuga-sensei said it was because he didn’t have heart.”

Picking up his own drink, Otoya frowned. “Even though he always puts so much effort into it… I don’t know what to say to him.”

“Some people you just have to be there for,” Tomochika offered as she slid into the seat Syo, Hikari beside Otoya.

“Learning with theory alone is difficult,” Natsuki noted, tapping his chin.

“No heart,” Masato echoed, looking at the table.

Hikari thought about the concert. _ ‘Sounds about right… and I thought it was because of his leg.’ _ Aloud, she said, “I guess this means he’ll be in A class then. We should watch out for him, then.”

Masato blinked at her. “Won’t that upset him?”

“Maybe, but if he’s upset with us, it means he won’t be moping over being demoted.” Hikari shrugged at the looks she got. “Harsh but true. I’m a third-generation songwriter in the entertainment business. There are trials we have to go to get to the top. Shiori-unnie, with her acting as males in dramas and movies, got a lot of crap from people. Yet she makes more money than they do.” She took a sip of her hot chocolate. “I believe in Ichinose-san. He’s a smart guy and he’ll figure something out.”

Otoya wilted. “I know. I just wish I could help.” She silently patted his hand and he smiled weakly at her.

“We’ll be with him,” was all she added.

Perched by the balcony door, Hikari rested her elbow on her knee, gazing out the window. A catalogue from her uncle Chanyeol rested in her lap. She blinked when she saw Ichinose out in the rain, no umbrella or coat.

“Oi, Hikari!” Tomochika called, making her look at the redhead. “Bed time!”

Offering a faint smile, Hikari said, “In a bit, Tomo-chan. You can go to sleep first.” Dropping the booklet, she stood and hurried out the door, grabbing an umbrella, hoodie, and rainboots on the way. She hopped while sliding the boots on and stuck the closed umbrella in her sweat pocket, tugging on the bright yellow hoodie. Reaching the entry, she removed and opened the umbrella.

Stepping outside, she was relieved the downpour wasn’t as heavy as it was that morning. Running Academy landmarks through her mind, Hikari headed over the bridge and to the gazebo. Despite the puddles, her footsteps were a bit quiet. She perked up, seeing the gazebo. Ichinose was a few steps away from the pier, and she silently closed her umbrella, letting it hang from her wrist as Ichinose lifted his head up and began singing lightly.

_**“Ah… reaching out to only you,** _   
_**The sound of this wind… Feeling heart…** _

_**Don’t cry anymore, you’re fine as you are!** _   
_**Look at the sky! Ah… My sweetest love!”** _

Hikari slowed her steps, getting a bit closer and smiling slightly.  _ ‘He really does have a nice voice. This… this is the song that helped Ruka-chan.’ _

**_“Blue… The sparkling blue drops trailing down a cheek.”_ **

Ichinose looked at her, startled and with a slightly vulnerable look in his eyes, but she simply grinned, coming closer.

_**“Rise… Did you know? About the light to tomorrow** _

_**Truth… You probably still don’t know yourself well, huh?** _   
_**Those tears will surely become your guiding rainbow!** _

_**If your long trail goes cold,** _   
_**Ah… I’ll warm it with a song!** _

_**All of your prayers may not become stars,** _   
_**But if you believe in your dreams,** _

_**They will be thousands of “jewels that shine brightest in the night sky.”** _

Tokiya came to a stop in singing, but she continued with ease.

_ “Think… Do you remember? The sunset on the way home   
Yes… We rejoiced! The map of the future spreads wide! _

_ Dream… Since when? My chest has been tightening   
Shining on my heart, the charm of the adults’ tales _

_ Even the things you can’t do on your own,   
Ah… I want to surpass them with you! _

__ If it would become your smile, I would tell lies even to God!   
So I’d like to call this “love”   
I want to come with you! To this “nameless story,” fly to the sky!

__ Don’t cry anymore, you’re fine as you are!   
I want you to let me protect you!   
If there’s a dream we both believe in,   
Then, even more beautiful than the sun that day,

_ Let it descend in seven colors… on the world.” _

As the song ended she got closer to Ichinose, removing the umbrella and passing it to him. Shoving her hood back, Hikari removed her handkerchief and smooshed it against Ichinose’s face and hair, rubbing gently to get rid of the water. “Idiot,” she said, a mix of fondness and exasperation. “I told you earlier to be careful, didn’t I. You’ll make yourself sick and God knows how Otoya acts when he’s losing his mind with worry. I don’t know about you, but I would rather not witness that.”

His free hand swatted at her and he straightened, tugging the handkerchief away. “Stop that, please. I’ll be fine.”

They stared at each other. “Why?” She finally asked.

Ichinose lowered his head, eyes moving to the side. “I want to sing, but… my songs…”

“... don’t have heart,” she finished. “Well, the song just now was beautiful.”

A wry smile was aimed at her. “Even though I sang it as Ichinose Tokiya?”

She shrugged and slid her hands in her pocket. “Some songs can’t be sung. Maybe you should try a different genre from both Hayato and Ichinose.”

The teen shook his head. “I… can’t risk that.” Ichinose stopped and stared at nothing blankly. He shook his head again before walking past her, passing back the umbrella and handkerchief as he headed back to the dorms.

Frowning after him, she clenched the piece of cloth before heading back herself at a slower pace. Hikari tilted her head back, eyes moving to land on  Delphinus.  _ ‘Gran… I really wish you were here to give some advice or at least get a phone. I want to help Ichinose get heart back.’ _

Hikari stood smiling as Otoya and Tomochika did a talk show about food. Otoya was being bit goofy while Tomochika straightened out some of the things he mentioned, bantering together. Her lips quirked up, she looked around her fellow students, lips pursing out when she spotted Ichinose alone.

Awhile later in the hall, Tomochika walked with her and both spotted Ichinose going through to the main hall, people whispering about him. Sharing looks, Hikari and Tomochika shoved their way through, ignoring complaints as they followed the teen.

Getting closer to the main hall, they slowed so he didn’t spot them. Hikari was distracted away from him.

“What’s going on by the boards?”

Tomochika peered at the A class board. “I think it’s the summer camp.”

Hikari eyed it weirdly. “Summer camp?”

“It’s almost here!” Ringo cooed, cupping his hands and winking at the stupids. An unbidden blush formed on Hikari’s cheeks, which she ignored as the man continued. “The long awaited, annual summer camp!”

She blinked.

“The location is a southern island resort!” Hikari did a double take at the sparkles coming from the crossdresser. Her classmates burst out in awe, but Hikari was weirded out a bit. _ ‘An island resort? Probably a private one. There has to be a catch.’ _

“The blue sea… white sand… waves breaking onto the shore… sweet wind…” His voice had lowered to a rather persuasive drawl. “But!”

She twitched at the sudden snap.

“Don’t get carried away!” Ringo smacked his palms against the desk. “After you come home, it’s your hour of destiny. It’ll be time to decide your graduation pairings!”

Hikari straightened, eyes going wide. _ ‘Ah. That’s the catch.’ _

“That’s right. Pairs will be formed between Idol and Composing course students, and you’ll be walking at last towards your dream debut! I’m sure some of you have already decided your partner, but for those who haven’t… This camp is your big chance to find the perfect partner. So, that’s why it’s important, right? Everyone, choose your partner carefully… and I think you already know this, but remember: Falling in love is forbidden! You all got that, right?”

A small bead of sweat slid down her face.  _ ‘Why mention it again? We already know the consequences as two people had been expelled at the beginning of the second month. And why is it there in the first place? Aunt Noriko doesn’t have one in place…’  _ She thought of Saotome and two others. _ ‘Could it be? I need to ask Uma, I don’t think she’ll get in trouble.’ _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song this chapter is "Nanairo no Compass."
> 
> Ripplers - Ripples - Sea related.
> 
> Terrible band naming, but it was all that I could think of. I just figured since STARISH and QUARTET NIGHT are about the sky (HEAVENS, too), I should think of something to do with the sea. Anyone reading this got a better idea?
> 
> And bonus, more info on Hikari’s family + friends. Don’t expect them to come up much, really. I mean, obviously, her family will make calls and maybe message her from time to time, but other than that… But i gotta plan. And That plan involves a lot of OCs, which means I gotta make a list.
> 
> Also recipes. These people mainly consist of idols and they need healthy things to eat, but I am at a complete blank. Help please?


	8. Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

 

“The purpose of this summer camp is to decide on pairs for the graduation. The students from the idol course and the composer course - it will help decide whether partners are right together,” Ryuya spoke, serious behind his sunglasses.

Pretty in a yellow sundress, Ringo clasped his hands beneath his chin, beaming. “Everyone, interact with each other and seek an appealing work. I pray you’ll find the perfect match!”

Around here, Hikari could hear girls explode into conversations about who would take her boys as partners. She stilled, blinking at her luggage.  _ ‘My boys?’ _

“Hikari, I’ve decided!” Tomochika exclaimed, catching the lighter redhead by the shoulders.

Glancing back, Hikari tilted her head, a smile teasing her lips. “Let me guess, Daiki-san?”

“Mm! That last assignment we did together was brilliant!” Tomochika had a happy blush on her cheeks.

“Good luck!” Hikari hugged her friend. “I know you’ll do well together!”

“What about you?” Tomochika asked as she pulled away.

Running the thought from before Tomochika came up to her, Hikari shrugged. “No idea yet. At least, not concrete.”

“Hmm… well, choose soon, ne?” She received a grin. “I won’t prod much.”

Hikari laughed as Tomochika darted over to Daiki. Shaking her head at her friend’s energy, she looked around, spotting her male friends. Chartreuse green eyes landed on Ichinose and her smile fell slightly. Silently, Hikari admitted to herself she was worried as much as Otoya. She really didn’t want Ichinose to end up giving up on music. He just needed to get his passion back.

Blinking when his head moved and they locked eyes, she gave an internal panic flail before letting a cheesy grin cross her face and wiggled her fingers goofily at him. Hikari had to hold back a laugh when he formed a baffled expression. At the sound of drums, she turned fully to land eyes on a flaming torch wielding Saotome. Her eyes blinked rapidly in bemusement.

_ ‘Is… is that a turkey on his head?’ _ Her jaw dropped slightly.

“Welcome to the island loved by the goddess of music, Muse!” He rolled the letters on his tongue, the torches spinning a bit faster and she backed up, grabbing her suitcase. Others copied her, more panicked. They probably didn’t realise he’d get his butt kicked by guardians if they got hurt (Aunty Rin was scary when angered). “If you feel the touch of a mysterious wind, you will feel inspiration bubble up!”

Her jaw dropped fully when he ripped his clothes off. “Let’s go! Enjoy… this legendary island!” Hikari held back a hysterical giggle at Ringo’s horrified expression, hands pressing against her mouth.

Hikari ended up crumpling into a crouch as he bolted past her, torches whirling and clad only in a loincloth. Hysterical laughter escaped her as she gasped into her palms. Sides aching as she tried to breath while Saotome disappeared into the sea, roaring, “Shining!”

“Hikari!” Tomochika called and Hikari looked over, forcing herself to her feet while holding onto her suitcase. “Stop laughing, the cottage is over here!”

Taking a few deep breaths, Hikari called out a stuttery, “Hai!” Gripping the handle, she turned and took a few steps before freezing, nearly falling over as she almost smacked into someone. Chartreuse blinked up into midnight blue. “Ichinose-san, we really got to stop meeting like this. It’s rather painful.” She patted his cheek before she realised it and moved past him.

_ **////** _

After grabbing some clothes, Hikari hurried into the bathroom. Dropping white leather sandals to the floor, she locked the door, Tomochika having already changed and had given Hikari a green tea glass on the way in. 

Hikari stumbled slightly and caught herself on the counter scowling at her sock. She tugged on a royal blue, halter swimsuit top and matching shorts. Grabbing the last piece, she wrapped the long, scarf like around her waist. That done, she picked up her clothes, folding them and slid her sandals on, unlocking the door and heading towards her suitcase, sliding the clothes into a bag she had for laundry. Hikari closed it and headed towards Tomochika. Sitting across from Tomochika, Hikari smoothed down her cover skirt and picked up her cool green tea.

“Doesn’t this feel great, Hikari?” Tomochika asked as she stretched her arms.

“It does,” she replied, stirring her straw. “It’s been a few years since i’ve come to any beach.”

“Hmm… Ah, I need to go. A graduation audition meeting!” The darker redhead chirped, standing and saluting Hikari. “I made a date with Daiki!”

“See you!” Hikari waved after her before turning back to the sea. Slumping her shoulders, she rubbed her face and stood. Reaching, she picked up the drinks and placed them inside the fridge. She picked up her smaller satchel, similar to the one for city outings, and left the cottage, locking it and putting her headphones on.

_**////** _

She made her way along the shoreline, sandals off and tied to her bag. Hums left her as she listened to the dulcet sounds of Renge singing with Haruto, a different ballad from before, and kicked lightly at the sand with every step. The volume was low, so she could hear when Otoya called out to her

“Hikari!”

Pausing the song, Hikari lowered her headphones and turned to look at her redheaded male friend. “Hey, Otoya.” Her mind stalled for a moment at the sight of his bare chest.

“I was looking for you.”

She blinked up at him, twisting the headphone wire around her finger. “What is it?” Hikari moved a bit closer so he wouldn’t have to raise his voice.

“There’s something I really wanted to talk to you about…” He trailed off for a moment, face flushing as his eyes went blank. She snapped her fingers, making him twitch and smile sheepishly. “Ah, let me start over?”

Blinking in curiosity, she nodded.

“I love the music you make!” He exclaimed. “It’s easy going and fun, just like you, Hikari. And I wanna sing a song of yours!”

Chartreuse eyes widened in surprise.

“Well…” Otoya smiled awkwardly and jogged a few steps away. “I’m gonna put your name down as my ‘hoped partner,’ Hikari! That’s all I wanted to say!”

Hikari stared blankly after him, her heart doing one of her cousin’s more energetic song as she replayed what just happened. Burying her face in her palms, she let out a series of strangled noises.  _ ‘Holy hell, Otoya’s too sweet to be true… and now I don’t know who I want for my partner  _ **_even more_ ** _. What do I doooo…. I need to change. I can’t be in the open risking more confrontations. My heart won’t be able to take it.’ _

_**////** _

Ren smiled slightly as he closed his eyes. “Hmm, who should it be?” The girls around him squealed in excitement and with the limited proximity, it hurt his ears.

Holding back a sigh, he thought of the girl who gave him back something of his mother. After downloading “Just a Kiss,” he’d made it his group ringtone, his mother’s part repeating. Ren opened his eyes and blinked when he spotted Hikari. “Lady?” Ren called to her, making the girls and adults look over as well.

She offered him a faint smile, her hiking boots making soft thumps on the patio wood. Hikari had changed from her swimsuit, he noted, now dressed in long tan cargo shorts and a yellow vest over a bright blue tank top. “Hey, Strawberry.”

His head tilted, but Ren went with the random nickname as she moved closer to the teachers, looking at Saotome. 

Hikari held something out to the adult redhead. “Here, Oyabun.”

Saotome paused in reaching for it, staring at her. “Oyabun?”

The girl simply grinned, not answering as she pushed the electronic into his hand. “That’s a GPS tracker and alert Gran gave me. This way you can tell me what’s going on if I lose track of time.”

“Ah,” he said blankly, turning the small item in his hands. 

“It’s similar to a cellphone, don’t worry.” Hikari stepped back, smiling fully now and looked around the group. “So, I may or may not see any of you until a few hours later. Pretty ladies, Strawberry, Oyabun, Wakagashira-sensei, Shateigashira-sensei, bye~”

“Go away, pain in the ass Kobun,” Ryuya said flatly, eyes still closed as he waved a hand at her. Ringo choked slightly on his drink.

Ren and the girls beside him stared at the awed expression on Hikari’s face in confusion. “You-You went with it!” She almost squealed and he was a bit weirded out by how much of a fangirl she was acted, completely different from normal. “You actually-” She cut herself off with a squawk, dodging a sandal.

_ “Go. Away.” _ Ryuya growled, lifted his shades. Ren pressed his lips together, refusing to laugh at how fast she could rile the ginger up. He wouldn’t.

“See? See? He does like me!” Hikari laughed, bouncing.

Ryuya stood abruptly. “Alright. That’s it, come here-” Hikari bolted, laughter filling the air and a smile made its way onto his lips. “It’s vacation!” The man barked, glaring at the rest of them and jabbing a finger at Ren and the girls. “Don’t act up!”

He sat back down and silence fell across the group. The girls looked to him worriedly but Ren was focused on Ringo, seeing the weird look on the pinket’s face.

“I wonder who’s the Wakashira and who’s the Shateigashira.” The pinket mused.

Straightening at the dark expression, Ren tried to warn Ringo. “Ringo-chan-!”

The ginger was faster and in a surprisingly childish move, pulled Ringo’s wig off. The teens widened their eyes in shock as Ringo stilled, patting blankly at his suddenly lighter head.

A screech made them jump as Ringo lunged at Ryuya.

* * *

 

Hikari rolled onto her side, headphone on her left ear pressing into it. She looked over at a sleeping Tomochika, the girl’s eyes covered by a sleep mask.

The teen kept running the encounters with Ichinose and Otoya through her head. And stars, the bonfire for the first day of the trip. Hikari had managed to stay away from her male friends, having seen the glances her way. She silenced any texts that may have come from their group chat, leaving the single chats open. It wasn’t their fault, but her panic and worry on what to do for the audition problem.

She wanted all six. It was selfish and greedy and despite knowing she could get that way sometimes (mainly when it concerned those close to her), Hikari didn’t want to ruin their chances. She’d come to adore them all, even Ichinose (notwithstanding the distance between them).

Sighing softly, Hikari stopped the song playing and turned her phone screen off, dropping it to the mattress before getting up to change into her clothes for the next day, knowing she wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep. She slid her sandals on again and walked to the balcony, strapping on her GPS tracker, looping it around her left wrist. Dropping her palms onto the rail, she leaned against the wood, gazing at the sea as it reflected the stars.

“Mrrow.”

Her head jerked up, her skipping a beat before she turned her head slowly to the left. Hikari blinked at a faint green glow and groaned lightly at the sight of Akuma. “Yah, gaki.” She shook her head, unsure on how to feel as she straightened, her words switching between Korean and Japanese. “Yah.”

Bright green eyes blinked at her.

An exasperated sigh left her as she straightened, placing a hand on a cocked hip. “What do you want, Akuma-chan? Not really in the mood to cuddle.”

His head tilted before he moved forward, headbutting her ankles. The cat was nudging her to the forest.

“Lead on, I’ve nothing better than you,” she said dryly, activating her tracker. “But if I trip and fall on you, I’m laughing.”

Hikari, despite feeling a bit silly following him, made her way across tree roots and dodged branches. Glancing around, she noted it was a different area than she’d previously explored. Spotting a stone face, her steps slowed as Akuma disappeared and she stepped into a place of stone ruins. “Nico Robin would kill to see this,” she murmured, moving to look closer at a pillar.

Smiling slowly, she traced the etching gently. “Saotome was right, this is the island of the Muse goddess.” Her nail trailed the curve of a harp, a female caricature holding it. “Wish I had my phone…”

Her voice fell silent as she turned to the sound of light footsteps. Her eyes widened at the sight of a young teen, one near her age, with caramel skin and raven black hair. His eyes were similar, far too similar, to Akuma’s eyes. He was dressed in an open green shirt, dark loose pants, and white slip on shoes. Bracelets of sorts adorned his wrists. To the right of his chest, Hikari could see a purple tattoo. She couldn’t see it clearly, hidden by the shirt.

“Akuma?” She managed to get out and the warm smile on his face got wider.

“I’ve been waiting to speak with you, Hikari.” His voice held warmth, affection and she was a bit off guard by how familiar he acted. He moved closer, seeming to want to not startle her. “My real name is Cecil, the crown prince to Agnopolis, a country far west of here-”

Getting the most of her still scattered bearings, she straightened and raised a brow. “The desert country?”

Cecil nodded, his smile bright as he paused within arm reach of her. He held his right hand out to her, kneeling slowly. She narrowed her eyes. “I know you can’t stand flowery statements, but will you humor me, please?”

His eyes were full of hope and hers flicked from his to the hand. After a moment, she shoulders relaxed from the stiffness that came upon her at his proximity. “As I get the feeling that we’ll probably be meeting in the future sometime,” she began, carefully putting her hand in his, “I’ll humor you. But if you get too outrageous with your floweriness, I will get the spray bottle.”

She nearly toppled over at the sweetness oozing from his grin. Cecil gently curled his fingers around her hand, not intertwining their fingers as he stood. “I would expect nothing less.” Her heart lost it’s shit when he lifted their hands and lightly brushed his lips against her hand, her face heating slightly at the sudden action. Hikari held back a squeak.

Around them, fireflies came from the depths of the ruins, dancing around the two and other fireflies. Hikari’s breath caught in her throat as Cecil began singing.

**“Crossing over the moonlit sea,**  
**Now in these hands, love is awakening.”**

A squeak really did leave her when he tugged Hikari close, arm looping around her body.

**“I sing of eternity in the voice of the sea’s roar** **  
** **I’ve always been searching for you.”**

He moved her into a loose dance, just a slow circle as she was suddenly running all their past interactions, with him as Akuma, through her head.

**“I embrace this fated meeting** **  
****I gather love songs from around this world** **  
****I’ll inform that heart and that dream** **  
****I was born only for you** **  
** **To be your “guardian”**

**A bride clad in a slumbering veil** **  
** **In the sky of memories, let’s hold these feathers aloft**

**We’ll probably meet again in the distant future** **  
** **Because we follow this endless dream**

**You’re blossoming even more than thousands of roses** **  
****You’re shining more than the songs of tens of thousands of stars** **  
****I swear to you, my lovely** **  
****Like the sun’s warmth, the truth will gently** **  
** **Continue to shine on you**

**Floating in a transparent ship, let’s travel to the mother galaxy**

**I embrace this fated meeting** **  
****I gather love songs from around this world** **  
****I’ll inform that heart and that dream** **  
****I was born only for you** **  
** **To be your “guardian.””**

Blinking rapidly, Hikari stared blankly at his chest, her hand gripping his shirt a bit tightly. “What was that?” Her voice was dazed and she looked up and locked eyes.

His hands now resting on her back and upper arm to steady her, Cecil smiled softly. Carefully he turned her to a wall they hadn’t been near before. A gasp of wonder escaped her.

The fireflies were present once more, highlighting the female caricatures, all nine forms holding different things. It was breathtaking and Hikari longed to have her uncle take photos of everything in the ruins, whether or not it was just rubble.

“Long ago, our clan washed upon the shore of this land,” he began quietly, his arm a warm weight against her shoulder blades. “Beautiful flowers from the trunk of a tree, life was given and making them bloom in splendor.” Cecil paused, reaching past her to pluck a blossom. Copying him, she turned to face him, gazing at the flower with unhidden longing. As he spoke, he replaced his hand with the blossom. Hikari was enchanted. “Muse, the guardian deity who guided us here, speaks thus: The days of distress will continue, but they exist to put you to the test, to spin something of beauty and richness out of the trials. In time, a miracle will be the gift your created. May Muse bless you with divine enlightenment...”

Hikari blinked slowly, frowning as she came face to arm with herself. Shifting, she lifted her head and saw she was at the table on her cottage balcony. Hikari looked around, spotting Tomochika still asleep in her bed and felt her tracker off her wrist, lying innocently in front of her on the table. Oddly, her phone was beside it. However, she put it off to the side as something shifted in her hand. Opening it, her eyes went wide.

“Not a dream…” Hikari felt the traces of Cecil’s touch, recalling how careful he was to not make her uncomfortable. Lightly putting it on her tracker, she slid her phone closer, unlocking it and squinting at the harsh brightness. A huge grin formed on her face at seeing an image folder on her backdrop, quickly tapping it open. It was titled ‘Muse’ and Hikari swore silently to herself, that if she saw either Akuma or Cecil, she’d give him a tight hug.

Choosing to spend the next day going through them, Hikari shut the device off and looked around again, blinking when she saw a figure walking along the shoreline. Leaning forward, Hikari saw it was Ichinose. Nibbling her lip, she lift brushed the soft petals and whispered, “Muse, if you can hear me, make sure we don’t do anything stupid. I don’t want anyone hurt.”

It may have been the moonlight, but Hikari thought the petals glowed rainbow colors.

_**////** _

Tokiya stared into the waves, feeling… not quite numb, but nothing in particular. Over the sound of the ocean, he heard steps shifting sand. Steps too quiet to be Otoya.

“You okay, Ichinose-san?” The soft voice of the girl he’d been thinking of early caught his ears and he turned to lock eyes with Nanami.

He didn’t answer for a moment, simply staring. Nanami waited, gazing back at him calmly. Running a few sentences through, he decided to be simple. “I’ve been thinking about you.”

Her brows furrowed, her calm expression shifting into a strange one. “Eh?”

Closing his eyes, he continued. “I’ve been unnecessarily rude to you since that first day. I may be unable to sing the way I want, but that doesn’t justify my lack of discipline.”

“Hey,” she cut him off and Tokiya opened his eyes as she came closer and bumped their arms. “I’ve got family in the entertainment business and I know how much stress Shiori-nee gets because of it.” Her eyes were daring him to apologize. “Your manager or whoever is in charge is forcing Hayato into acting and you’re balancing on a tightrope between the two. My cousin saw something in you when she heard your song and there’s no doubt that she’d be terrorizing your bosses for making you do so much. She, and therefore you indirectly, are the reason I’m here right now. I fell in love with your songs because of you helping Ruka-chan and for how brilliant they are, not because Hayato or Tokiya was singing the song.”

Tokiya blinked at her in surprise.

Nanami smiled and glanced away to the ocean. “I grew up in a family where music was something to be loved and enjoyed, whether traditional or rock, and entertaining is in the blood. No one else except maybe the staff knows about Hayato, right? So let me be your confidante if no one else can.”

Speechless, he could only stare before he ducked his head and copied her, trailing the stars along the ocean surface with their arms lightly brushing against each other. “Soon after I debuted, I lost my aim. A bit after, I was in an accident and hospitalized…”

He continued, getting lost in the memory of meeting the boy who had sang in the courtyard. How they’d sang ‘Amazing Grace’ together. How hospital staff and patients, child and adult came to sing and listen. And never once did she look away from him as he spoke.

The sun came up and they sat together in the sand.

“I remember that.” She murmured, laying back in the sand. “It was after Ruka-chan ended up in the hospital and the adults were forcing the rest of us kids to get check ups. I had thought it strange that Kimura-sensei had the door open until we heard a song come through. He’d been oddly pleased and when Yuuta-nii asked, he’d said one of his patients was in an accident and was an idol. Kimura-sensei had been worried that the patient would stay down in the dumps.”

Silence fell between them and he broke it once more. “I’ll try to start, once more. From the beginning…”

Nanami reached over, lightly squeezing his hand and he looked at her, sharing small smiles. “I’ll be here to listen,” she promised.

**_////_ **

Letting the garden snake wind its way around her fingers, Hikari made her way back to the cabin. Idly, she wondered if Tomochika was still there. “I bet she’d scream at me if she’s there. Hmm… I wonder if there are any bugs around,” Hikari mused absently. “Or maybe eggs…?”

Looking up, Hikari blinked at the sight of Ren sniffing at one of the island flowers as he leaned against the rail.

“Is that safe?” She called, holding the snake closer.

Ren turned to look at her and smirked slightly. “I could ask you the same thing, Lady.”

“It’s a simple garter snake. There are worse in the country,” Hikari answered with a small shrug as she stopped a few steps away. “What’s up?”

A playful smile replaced the smirk as he straightened and stepped closer, slightly in her space. She merely blinked at him. “The island air said that the person to make music, to me, Jinguji Ren, is you, Nanami Hikari.” He had the gall to wink at her.

Keeping her face blank (and probably failing, Hikari couldn’t tell), she held up the snake. “Do you think Ringo-sensei would scream or smack me if I showed him Treble?”

He stared and pulled away. His lips were twitching. “You’re terrible at naming things.”

She gaped up at him before scowling and stepping on his foot, pulling the flower from his fingers as she strode past. “Just for that, I’m telling Ringo-sensei you wanted me to show him Treble.”

“Wha- Hikari, wait, you can’t do that!” Ren exclaimed, and she heard him following.

Hikari bolted for her cabin, securing her snake to her chest. “The hell I can’t! And this is a girl’s cottage. Stay out!”

Ren stopped as she turned around, standing in the doorway and looking up at him. He seemed nervous as he held his hands up placatingly. “Lady, I don’t know if you saw yesterday, but Ringo-chan is upset with Ryuya and therefore upset with all of us. I don’t believe anyone wants to be his target.”

“Then it’s a good thing I won’t be his target if I convince him it was you who told me to show him Treble.” Widening her eyes innocently, she beamed and held the snake out close to his face. “‘Ringo-sensei, look what Ren found for me! Isn’t Treble adorable?’”

“What the hell.” Both humans jumping, Hikari took back Treble as she turned to look at a frozen Tomochika.

“Tomo-chan?” Hikari asked, eyeing how the redhead had a shoe in hand.

“Hikari,” Tomochika began then stopped, continued. “Hikari, I love you. You’re like the sister I never had.  _ Why the hell are you holding a snake.” _

Glancing between her friend and the snake, Hikari asked curiously, “Are you afraid of snakes?”

Tomochika simply stared and lifted her shoe.

Humming, Hikari swayed and brought the snake closer to her face, feeling its tongue flicker against her cheek as Tomochika got this horrified look. A smile was formed. “Think I should show Ringo-sensei?”

She earned a furious nod. “Yes. I’m sure he’d adore it, now go.”

“Ah, but I need my phone-”

“I’ll get it!” Tomochika yelled and following Hikari’s finger, picked it up from the table. She came back to her spot, hesitating, before saying, “Hikari move. Ren, catch!”

“What?” The two chorused and Hikari’s eyes went wide as she ducked down with a squawk. Ren let out an uncharacteristic curse and nearly tripped over Hikari to catch the phone.

“Go away!” The darker redhead practically ordered, shoe swinging in her hand.

Catching Hikari by the back of her summer hoodie, Ren swiftly got them moving back down the docks. She let him as she peered up at him. “Why so swift to make a run for it?”

A strained smile formed on his face as they walked quickly (Ren did anyway) to the main island. “I have seen Tomochika with her lipstick, Lady.”

She automatically raised the hand with the flower, rubbing the phantom pain in her forehead. “Good point. And she brought her high heeled sandals here…”

They shared nervous looks as they made their way to the pavilion. “So, are you really going to show Treble to Ringo-chan?” Ren asked her.

“Mhm… hold them for a second,” she didn’t give him a chance to protest, moving the tiny snake to his hand. His face went carefully blank as he stared at the snake while Hikari wove the flower into a braid, tying it off. She gently accepted the snake back as they continued walking.

“Hijiri was right,” Ren noted suddenly, hands going in his pocket after passing her phone to her. At Hikari’s raised brow, he smirked slightly. “You are an animal magnet.”

“Heh. You make it sound like an insult when I take it as a compliment,” Hikari replied, smiling widely. She held Treble up to her eyes, looking the adolescent snake over. “Wish I knew if you were a boy or girl. Gran never taught me how to do something like that.”

At a strange noise, she looked straight and blinked at a frozen Ringo. Ryuya and Saotome were right behind him, both with strange looks as they looked at the pinket. Hikari didn’t try deciphering their looks as she beamed and bounced up to the pinket.

“Ringo-sensei! Isn’t Treble adorable or what?!” A strangled noise left Ren, which she ignored as she held Treble up to Ringo’s face, smile bright. 

Ringo stared before a coo fell from his lips, Hikari’s smile copying the sound as Treble was swept from her arm and shown to Ryuya and Saotome. “Ryuya, Shiny, look! I think this is is one of Yomi’s descendants!”

She watched speechlessly as Ringo cuddled the snake, lightly petting it as Ryuya quirked a lip and Saotome laughed.

“Ahahaha! I can’t believe it!” Saotome exclaimed, hands going to his waist, once again in a loose loincloth. “I didn’t think they’d survive this long here!”

“It isn’t that surprising,” Ryuya argued, looking at the redhead. “Not when Ringo set up an area for them.”

“But the gardeners don’t like them,” Saotome reminded him, looking at the snake.

The pinket looked at him in shock. “Are you saying the gardeners would kill them?”

“Give me back my fucking snake!” Hikari barked, sweeping Treble from a stunned Ringo’s hands and began storming back to her cottage, making sure to avoid Tomochika, who jerked Ren in front of her by the shoulders. “Honestly!”

“Hikari, don’t swear!” Ryuya called, laughter in his voice.

Feeling a buzz from her pocket, she flipped him off before holding Treble in one hand to grab her phone. “Stuff it, shitty ginger!”

A scowl was on her face as she answered with a curt, “What.”

“Noona!” A sweet young voice came over the speaker. “I've finally got your number!”

Her steps slowed as she reached the door, balancing the phone on her shoulder while unlocking the door. Hikari kicked her sandals off as she closed the door. “I’m glad, Dong-hae-yah. I’ve missed you. How’s America? Where are you guys now?”

A faint thumping noise. “Right now, we’re in Seattle, Washington. I got to go swimming near the Snoqualmie Falls!” Dong-hae exclaimed and a wide grin spread across her face.

“That sounds wicked! What else?” Hikari asked.

“You’ll tell me how Saotome is going? Emails aren’t as descriptive, even with pictures.”

“You just want me to bring it to life.”

“Of course!”

“You got yourself a deal!” Hikari moved to lay down on her bed, setting Treble on her stomach. “Wanna Face Chat?”

“Oh, please!”

“Hang on. Treble, don’t move like that.” Hikari pulled her phone away, letting it go so the cousins could see each other. 

After a moment, a twelve-year old with bright green-yellow eyes and black hair appeared. A dark tan colored him as he smiled at her. “Noona! You’ve gotten brighter!”

Dong-hae had gotten a minor form of synesthesia, just like Haruka. To him, all colors were vivid on those close to him, like family.

“Is that a garter snake? Treble, right?” 

“Yup. Now tell me about Seattle. Did you go on the Space Needle like you wanted?”

His eyes brightened and her heart warmed at the sight. “It was better than I imagined! They had a glass floor…”

As Dong-hae began rambling, Hikari began running through her Saotome adventures, pondering whether or not she should send pictures of her friends as aside from Syo and Natsuki (who got their pictures taken by a sneaky Yuuta) and Tomochika, no one else got their pictures. She didn’t know about Ren, but she figured they at least knew what Ichinose did.

_ ‘At least I threw Ren off topic about the choosing… I have no idea what to do…’ _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song this chapter is "Eternity Love."
> 
> Cecil Aijima is the definition of dramatic and romantic sweetness, and the author cannot do that for the life of her. Please, for all things shiny, tell me if I get him out of character. Also I should mention I will switch between ‘First Name Last Name’ and ‘Last Name, First Name’ because I’m terrible at not doing both when it comes to this.
> 
> Uh… I think that’s all? I know I wanted to say more because this chapter was a pain in the ass, but now I can’t remember. I’ll probably add it to chapter 8 (author crumples at the thought of episode 8).


	9. Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

 

Sitting at her desk, Hikari listened to Ichinose sing, looking at him as he did. A small smile was dancing on her lips as she leaned on her palm, arm resting on the back of the chair. Sharing a look with Tomochika, they grinned in silent triumph. 

_ ‘I’m glad to hear he’s got heart back… now if I could only decide on what to do about the final auditions.’ _

**_////_ **

She strode down the hall, bag in hand as she went through her texts. Her uncles and Dong-hae were back in Japan and so she planned to meet up with them during the next free weekend. Vainly she hoped Ringo wouldn’t assign too much work before then. Of course with the final auditions coming up, she’d probably have to wait until after.

Around her, she could hear people talking about their own decisions. Hikari didn’t linger on it as she spotted Ichinose ahead. “Yo, Ichinose-san. You look like you got good news.”

His lips quirked up slightly. “I just met with the headmaster,” he answered, stopping a small distance away. Ichinose bowed slightly. “Thank you.”

A laugh escaped her. “I didn’t do much. Congrats.”

They shared knowing looks before Ichinose excused himself and walked away. Hikari continued making her way down the hall, but stopped again as Otoya called for her.

He came to a halt in front of her, smiling nervously. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Uh, sure?” She motioned them closer to the wall to stay out of everyone else’s way.

“I’m sorry for bugging you at the summer camp!” Otoya blurted out, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly and his cheeks turned pink. “But I’m seriously not thinking about anyone but you, Hikari! I just turned in my form with your name on it!”

Her eyes widened in surprise, blinking rapidly at him. He must’ve noticed she was too startled because he toned down his exuberance. “B-Between my singing and your music, I think we make a dynamite combo! When we were paired for the first recording test, I was able to sing with a lot of natural confidence! Besides that, it was super fun. I… I think I’m the closest to you aside from Tomo-chan and she’s got a partner. If I’m your partner, I’m sure I can sing a fantastic song for our audition song!” Otoya absently caught the phone holding hand in his. She blinked blankly at the motion before he panicked and jerked away. “Ah, sorry!”

Hikari stared plainly at her hands, avoiding his eyes. “Ano…”

“It’s okay.” her eyes darted up to his before she ducked her head lower, hiding behind her bangs. “You don’t have to give me an answer now, just give it some thought.”

Her heart melted at the sweet, understanding smile he gave her and Hikari nodded weakly.

Otoya grinned at her before turning to leave. She watched him do so before continuing her way to the stairwell. Hikari didn’t know what to make of it all. Part of her wanted her to repay Otoya for being so kind to her, another part wanted Ichinose because of Haruka. And another wanted Ren so she could get to know him better without him acting like a ladies man. A sigh escaped her as she went up the first flight of stairs. Her steps paused as a bouquet of pink roses, baby’s breath mixed in and her eyes went wide at it.

She automatically accepted it as Ren passed it to her, cradling it like a child as she slid her bag on her shoulder. “Ren?”

“I’ve been looking for you, You see, I’ve turned in my form, little blossom,” Ren said, leaning in close and she stilled, blinking up at him.

“Ah,” she said carefully. Looking over the flowers, her mind went to static for a moment before she managed to speak. “I see. I have something I need to do…”

Hikari trailed off as they stared at each other. Ren had this calm smile on his face while she herself was blank, not wanting anything to slip. Finally his smile turned playful. “I’ll wait for a favorable answer, little blossom.”

Offering him a faint smile, she nodded and moved past him, continuing her way up the stairs and looked at her phone when the ringtone played. “Dong-hae-yah, what is it? Why’re you still awake and not sleeping off jet lag?” She asked her cousin, slipping into Korean.

An excited giggle made her slow her steps, her brow furrowing. “I couldn’t sleep despite being tired! And, uh… I may have found Oyaji’s sweets stash.”

Hikari stopped walking and stared flatly at a painting on the wall. She blinked once, twice, then hid her face in the flowers, breathing in the scent. Her head shook as she finally spoke. “Dong-hae-yah, light of my life, my chibi - why do you do this?”

Another giggle. “You make it sound like a bad thing, Noona.”

“It is a bad thing. Wanna know why?” She didn’t let him answer. “One, Oyaji will terrorize you when he finds out and don’t think he won’t even if I don’t tell him or he sees the evidence. Two, you’re gonna get a sugar high and probably be grounded by your dads. Don’t ask Aunt Rin for help, she will laugh at you and assign you work. Three, you’ve never actually had a sugar high, so none of us know if you’ll be bouncing off the walls or not. All I’m gonna say now is good luck, my light.”

Dong-hae was silent for a moment. “Think they’ll be really angry?”

“Jet lag, little light,” she answered, continuing her way to her training room, where she needed to grab her jacket. “So what else are you up to? Why’d you call? And don’t try distracting me again.”

The preteen grumbled for a moment before falling silent. Years of dealing with Haruka, Shiori, and Kai made her silent, waiting for him to speak after he gathered his thoughts.

“You’re dimming,” he said softly, no longer energetic.

Hikari pursed her lips as she finally reached her room and opened it, making sure no one was there. “Yes.”

“Why, Noona?” He asked, worried.

A sigh left her. “Auditions. Otoya and Ren, just before you called, told me they chose me and only me.” She entered the room and shut the door.

“Oh, Noona.” Dong-hae sighed himself. 

“I’m eating and resting, Tomochika and I have been making sure of that.”

“Were you going to ask anyone of the family for advice?”

“Aside from you?” Hikari huffed and set her items down, putting the phone on speaker. “No. I want to try it myself. The teachers and maybe Gran if I absolutely need to. This may sound like a weak excuse, but if whoever I choose debuts, that means I’ll become a proper citizen in the ‘adult’ world and confirm my entry in the entertainment business.”

“That’s not weak,” Dong-hae replied absently. “Some things need to be done without people helping.”

Tying her jacket to her waist, she chuckled. “How cute. My baby cousin is acting like an adult.”

“What?” He squawked, snapping out of his daze in horror. “No, I’m not! Noona, you gotta be tired, go to sleep.”

Hikari threw her head back and laughed, sliding her bag on so it crossed her chest. She picked up the bouquet and turned off the speaker, moving to leave the room. “You’re adorable, little light. Leave the stash alone and play some video games, okay? Maybe see if Chu-chan needs a walk. Leave a note if she does.”

He hummed before agreeing. “Okay. Love you, Noona.”

“Love you, little light.” The dial sounded in her ears and she pressed end as well, sliding it into her vest pocket as she made her way back down the stairs to head back to her dorms. 

While walking, Hikari looked the flowers over, wondering if she still had some homemade flower food from her grandmother. She thought about texting Tomochika, but figured she may be with Daiki. Plus, that last time she tried texting and walking she nearly ran into a lot of walls. It had hurt, a lot. Secretly, she thought there was some kind of conspiracy because there had never been that many walls in the school before.

She reached the first floor and made her way out, heading towards the path that would take her to the girl’s dorms. Hikari looked up at the clouded sky with a wry smile.  _ ‘Even the weather seems confused with me. Don’t know if i should be happy about that or not.’ _

A sigh escaped her for the hundredth time that week and she braced herself, firming her shoulders as she looked straight ahead, tapping her shoulder strap tunelessly as she got lost in her thoughts. It was the reason why Syo got the drop on her.

“Oi!” A hand caught her shoulder and she shrieked in surprise, whirling around and almost decking Syo with the flowers if he hadn’t of backpedaled in time. His arms went up in surrender. “Woah, Hikari! Sorry.”

Her knees wobbly, she scowled at him. “What is wrong with you?”

The blond smiled at her hesitantly. “I wanted to speak with you.”

She squinted at him, the many surprises happening this week not helping her brain process things fully. “Uh…” Hikari followed him to where the group had met during the “Prince of Precipice” debacle. Sitting on the bench, she put her bag and flowers down before focusing on Syo, head tilted curiously.

“I entered my form. For the graduation audition, I wanna be partners with you.” He dove right in and she blinked at him, inscrutable.

“Me?” She got out.

Syo nodded enthusiastically, turning away. “Ah. Ever since you went to act in Hyuga-sensei’s movie for your cousin, I’ve had my eye on you. You’re passionate about everything you do, whether it’s composing or acting. And despite not being a huge fan of Hyuga-sensei like Shiori and I, you still went with it because we asked.” He paused and then frowned. “At least, I kinda did.”

Hikari blinked silently at him as he grinned at her, arms crossing over his chest. “It’s you, Hikari. You’re the only one who’d ever try to understand how I feel.”

“I feel the same way!” A voice exclaimed and she jolted, looking up to see Natsuki.

“Eh?” It was said softly, barely audible. Her hand reached up to tug at her braid.

“Kari-chan,” Natsuki said, completely focused on her and Hikari felt like he was channeling Satsuki’s forcefulness (nevermind the fact that they were technically the same person.

The girl felt like a deer in front of headlights.

“Please be my partner.” Natsuki was oblivious to the way she’d frozen, Syo casting a confused glance at her. 

“What the hell, Natsuki?!” Syo blurted out, moving to block her from Natsuki’s eyes. It didn’t help much, only making her lose her tenseness.

“Kari-chan is someone who’s as calm as a cloudy day and warm like a fall sunbeam. The kind of songs I want to write will soften and warm people’s hearts.” Natsuki smiled as he came closer, forcing Syo to move to the side.

Her chest felt heavy.

Hikari stiffened as Natsuki hugged her around the shoulders, her eyes locked on a tree ahead of her as his face pressed against her shoulder. “The person who will walk with me through that world of music is right here.”

“Hey!” Syo exclaimed and she could him panicking out of the corner of her eye. She felt like she couldn’t breath, the weight in her chest getting heavier.

“There’s only one person in the world who understands my music… Only you, Kari-chan.” His breath was warm against her shoulder.

Syo seemed to notice how dull she’d gotten and moved to jerk Natsuki away from her. “Cut it out, let go of her!” Syo chastised Natsuki as the taller blond released her. “You’re stressing her out!”

She could only watch numbly as he forced Natsuki a distance away from her. She noticed the worry in his blue eyes as he glanced, but couldn’t find anything in her to reassure him. Chartreuse eyes could only  look at him before she turned away, saying dully, “I need to go.” 

Ignoring their worried voices, she automatically picked her stuff up and made her way to the building entrances. Her eyes were down so she didn’t catch anyone’s eyes. Entering, Hikari went to her letter box. Adjusting the flowers in her arms, she opened the tiny door and blinked.

_ To: Nanami Hikari _

It was a letter and she slowly reached to pick it up. Carefully, undoing the folds, she read it silently.

_ I wanted to let you know that I designated you as my graduation audition partner. _

_ Hijirikawa Masato _

A scream built up in her throat but was extinguished by the numbness sliding into her. Folding it again, she slid it into the bouquet and closed the letter box, turning to make her way to her room. Hikari didn’t know how long it took, time lost to her, but soon she was unlocking her door and entering the room. She locked it once more and lightly put the bouquet down and dropped her bag beside the table. Staring at the table, she finally pulled her phone out of her vest, and ignoring the texts she’d gotten, placed it face down beside the roses. Moving away from the table, she went to change into her pajamas and lay down.

**_////_ **

Tomochika was smiling brightly as she walked to her dorm room, a bounce in her step. She’d had dinner with Daiki to go over their plans for the audition and she figured she’d have a good shot with him as her partner. Truthfully, she’d wanted Hikari as a partner but since they’d never worked together she didn’t want to risk themselves. Besides, if they both debuted, then they could try working together.

Bouncing cheerfully up the stairs, she pondered the conundrum that was Hikari. She figured from the way their bright blond friends were blowing up the group chat that Hikari hadn’t gone to dinner. A frown formed at the thought. Hikari had already told her about worrying about her audition partner and, it may have just been her and Hikari’s sweet baby cousin, but the other girl seemed to get more stressed everyday. It didn’t show outside their room, though. Not much, anyway. Hikari wouldn’t get changed into her onesies or mess with her console.

Lifting up the container, Tomochika figured she could at least convince Hikari to eat the sub sandwich Tomochika brought along with the apple juice. She knew they had some chips in there somewhere (coming back from the summer camp, they’d been startled to realize they hadn’t fixed their room up before leaving).

Reaching the door, she pulled her key out and unlocked it, being quiet as she wasn’t sure if Hikari was up or not. Her brow went up when she spotted the black cat that adored Hikari standing on the balcony. Glancing at said girl’s bed, she slumped at the sight of Hikari hidden by her covers. Tomochika put the sandwich and juice in the mini fridge and headed over to the door, letting the cat in. Akuma raced over to the bed, hopping onto the Hikari-lump while Tomochika shut the door again. Hearing the blankets shift, Tomochika kicked her shoes off and crawled onto the bed beside Hikari, smoothing her skirt down as she settled against the wall.

“I brought dinner for you,” the darker redhead said softly, reaching to smooth the peach colored strands. Getting no answer, Tomochika glanced at Akuma as he pressed against Hikari’s stomach. “Hikari, what’s wrong?”

The other girl was silent before pushing her facemask up and rolling onto her back. Hikari patted Akuma and looked up at Tomochika. “Tomo-chan.” Her voice was hoarse and in the faint moonlight, she could see the panic. “What do I do?”

Furrowing her eyebrows, Tomochika continued smoothing the peach strands. “Start from the beginning, ne?”

The story spilled in snippets. How after the first of being told, Hikari didn’t know who to choose as her partner. How after not even being on Saotome’s island, Otoya told her he wanted her as his partner. That not even the next day Ren said the same, which is why she had brought Treble with her as a determent. Then when they got back, Syo, Natsuki, and Masato had said the same things.

“They don’t seem to realize that I could be the one to make or break their debut,” Hikari said, voice muffled as she pressed her cheek against Tomochika’s knee. “If word got out that they'd been refused by me, a Nanami, the press would drag in everybody from our families just to get their damn articles out.”

Tomochika understood what she was saying. “The boys don’t realize their putting everything in your hands. You’re taking the weight of their worlds on your shoulders.”

Hikari nodded, petting Akuma when he squirmed onto Tomochika’s lap. Their eyes locked. “I want them. I want all them to be my partners. I think they’d be great together and I don’t want to hurt them by choosing only one…”

“We’ll just hit that speed bump when we get to it.” Tomochika smiled down at her. “This weekend, just you and I, we’re going to a spa, okay? Manicures, pedicures, massages - everything. Ah!” She poked Hikari on the nose. “It’s not even August yet, so you’re still a decade younger than a quarter of a century. Hell, even 25 is still to young to have wrinkles like you’ll get if you keep freaking out.”

Chartreuse eyes filled with fond exasperation, something Tomochika was pleased to see as there was no more worry. “Alright, let’s do it. Maybe we can drag Kai with us, if you’re okay with that?”

“Kai?” She repeated, blinking in confusion.

Sitting up, Hikari nodded as she scooped up Akuma. “If it weren’t for the fact that he’s got a job already, he’d be an onsen manager.”

Tomochika thought about what Hikari had spoken about the older teen and nodded. “I could kind of see it. Let’s bring him if he’s available.”

A smile tugged slightly at Hikari’s lips as she rolled off the bed, earning a startled meow from Akuma. “Oh hush, you oversized baby. At least I haven’t tossed you in a sink full of water. Yet.” Tomochika laughed at the faint outline of Akuma’s ears going back.

* * *

Hikari swung their hands back and worth and Tomochika smiled slightly, happy to see her friend was slowly returning to normal. The darker redhead looked up as they neared the classroom. “You going to be okay?”

The peach haired girl glanced at her, smiling a bit. “Yeah. ‘Sides, I just have to last till the end of the day then we can head into the city for the weekend.”

“That’s the spirit! Hmmm… I think I’ll get little butterflies on my toes,” Tomochika hummed, looking down at her shoe covered feet and Hikari giggled.

“Why butterflies?”

“Why not? You should get flowers, live up to Ren’s nickname.” Tomochika bumped her shoulder against Hikari’s as they released their hands and walked in.

“Help me convince Kai to do both and I will.” Hikari grinned slightly as she followed the slightly older girl.

“And mud masks.” They shared a glance and snickered at the image produced.

“Hikari, Tomo-chan!” Looking up, they spotted Otoya waving exuberantly at the two, though his eyes seemed more focused on Hikari, who shifted.

Noticing, Tomochika bounced over to him and smacked her palms against his desk, face serious. “Otoya! Name something that could be used as blackmail for an idol!”

He goggled at her in shock, shrinking away slightly. Otoya flailed before finally offering, “Dressing in the opposite gender’s clothes if they aren’t a crossdresser, like really feminine or masculine clothes… uhm, why?”

She patted him on the head, smiling as she glanced at Hikari, who was already typing something on her phone. “I’m passing that onto Dong-hae-yah. If anyone can make Kai do anything, it’s him. Thanks for helping us with our weekend plans, Otoya!”

The male redhead looked between them in confusion, but didn’t answer as Ringo entered the room. “Alright, everyone, let’s get started.”

Tomochika sat down while Hikari swiftly put away her phone, looking the picture perfect student. Tomochika held back a giggle while Ringo did roll call and went to the back. The two roommates shared a look as Hikari was called to the back and all Tomochika could do was offer her a small, comforting smile.

Turning in her seat, she quickly exchanged a goofy face with Otoya before they both focused on Hikari as she went to the piano. Tomochika couldn’t see Hikari’s face, but did notice her duck her peach haired head as she slid between Natsuki and Masato. The darker redhead winced slightly as the two exchanged confused and slightly hurt looks.

When she sat down on the piano bench, Tomochika noticed she’d gotten a blank mask.  _ ‘Oh, Hikari…’ _

**_////_ **

Hikari rubbed her face with both hands, heading down the hall to the entrance by the staff halls. She had to get the weekend passes from Saotome before the girls could leave. Her hands dropped and she spotted Ringo a few steps ahead of her.

Thinking, she shrugged and went for it. _ ‘Not like I can feel anymore stressed.’ _

“Hey, sensei!” She called, hurrying to stop in front of Ringo as the crossdresser turned.

The pinket blinked down at her. “What is it, Hikari-chan?”

“Sorry, but I wanted to ask for advice before leaving…” Hikari shifted awkwardly.

“If it’s about choosing your partner, the doctor is out!” Ringo said swiftly, turning away with hands on his hips.

Yet again in the few months being in the Academy, her mind crashed. “Eh?”

A blue eye peeked over a shoulder at her. “Ah, that’s right. There’s something I had to tell you.” His eyes were shining as he turned to the teen. “Another one came today! The 6th person who wants to be you partner! Can you guess who?”

Hikari could only shake her head wordlessly.

His finger moved with every syllable. “I-chi-no-se Tokiya~!” A “kyaa” left him as he darted ahead a few steps, swirling on a heel as he looked back at her with a beam. “Princess Hikari-chan!” Ringo practically cooed before coming back, bouncing around in excitement as if he were in her place. She was frozen though. “Who will you choose? Oh, dear! My head is reeling in anticipation!”

The crossdresser wigged out before he darted away, leaving Hikari standing there in shock. Her jaw moved uselessly and she forcibly got parts of her together, pulling her phone out and calling.

“Hikari? Did you get the passes?”

Unable to answer for a moment she shook her head to herself.

“Hikari? Where are you?”

“Near the staff offices,” she muttered. “Tomo-chan, get me out of here. Ichinose Tokiya just submitted me as a partner.  _ Get me out of here.” _

“I’ll be there. Forget bringing stuff with us, we can steal your cousin's clothes. Call Kai and tell him to hurry up.” Tomochika hung up and Hikari slowly did as she said, her fingers barely cooperating.

* * *

Otoya frowned as he ran Hikari through his mind. Something was off about the girl and he hadn’t fully noticed it till that morning, when Tomochika got between Otoya and Hikari, asking her question. And after, when Ringo called for her to play, they’d shared a glance, Tomochika’s comforting. He knew from Syo that she appeared stressed when the blond duo told her they’d chosen her, but it didn’t really hit till he saw Tomochika practically guarding her during class.

“Otoya-kun, is something wrong?” He looked up to see Natsuki and Syo walking towards him and he shrugged slightly as he stepped beside Masato, who was behind the two blonds.

He thought about asking them again about yesterday, but discarded it. “Not sure.”

Syo glanced back at him as they headed to the main entrance. “Let me guess, Hikari?”

A small smile formed at how easily he guessed and Otoya put his hands in his pocket. “Yeah. I didn’t see her nor Tomo-chan at lunch.”

“Hikari did seem off in class,” Masato said slowly, peering at Otoya and Natsuki. “Maybe she’s feeling sick?”

_ ‘I don’t think you’re too far off there, Masa,’ _ Otoya thought, but said aloud, “Who knows? She seems like she’d still do things if she’s not too bad.”

Natsuki chuckled at his statement before lifting his head and frowning. “What in the world?”

Otoya agreed with his statement, eyeing the group of teens near the entrance, more than half of it girls. “I don’t think we’ll be able to leave through that door.”

The others made noises of agreement before Syo pointed to the side. “Let’s join Ren and Tokiya.”

The four moved through the crowd, Natsuki leading with Syo and Masato behind him. Otoya followed a bit slower, looking around to try and find either Tomochika or Hikari. He didn’t find neither girls and he couldn’t help the bubble of concern in his chest.  _ ‘Where are you, girls?’ _

Facing forward, the redhead saw that Tokiya and Ren were looking out the windows. The two looked over and nodded in acknowledgement.

Ren spoke up, tilting his head in the direction of something out the window. “Ochibi, Natsuki, is that Lady’s cousin?”

The two shared looks of confusion and Ren let Syo get closer to the window, the other three looking over his shoulders and head.

“Ah, yeah. That’s Kai. Don’t know the younger kid though.” Syo pulled his hat off so it didn’t obstruct neither Otoya’s and Masato’s view.

Otoya easily recognized Nanami Kai and as he looked the younger kid, he made a noise of surprise, earning looks from his male friends. “That’s Hikari’s youngest cousin, Song Dong-hae. She told me he and his parents were in America for some kind of tour. I forgot to ask what for.”

They continued to watch as Kai and Dong-hae fidgeted by their white sedan, the elder twirling a baseball cap as he leaned against the car. Kai seemed to be teasing Dong-hae, but the tiny preteen kept grinning. Otoya couldn’t tell from the distance, but he was sure Dong-hae’s smile got wider as he turned to look at someone.

He bit his lip as he looked the approaching girls over, noticing how Tomochika seemed to be hovering around Hikari, but was careful enough that he figured only those close to either or both girls would notice (Masato and Natsuki may share a class with them, but Natsuki preferred hanging out with Syo and Masato liked his alone time, and they haven’t really seen Hikari when she panicked). Both were out of their uniforms and in casual clothing. Tomochika had a satchel, one of Hikari’s, over her shoulder - clearly they had plans this weekend in the city. Otoya looked between the two cousins at the car and the girls. _ ‘They’re probably going to stay at the Nanami house.’ _

“Why does it seem like everyone else can meet the Nanamis, but I can’t?” Ren suddenly wondered and Otoya looked at him in confusion

“What do you mean?” Tokiya asked and the lone redhead eyed him curiously before he focused his eyes on the girls and cousins, still listening to them.

Kai had just straightened and bounced over to Hikari, pulling her into a spinning hug. Otoya could just feel the fond exasperation coming off of her as she hugged him back before kicking his shin and hurrying to hug Dong-hae as Kai theatrically acted like she’d hit him hard, slumping against a bemused Tomochika, who neatly shifted to the side and let him crumple with a flail. She said something that made him roll to his feet with a laugh.

“For some reason, I can never meet with Haruto, my mother’s stepbrother,” the strawberry blonde explained. “Something always comes up, either an assignment or he has a meeting. Yet Ochibi and Natsuki were able to meet Lady’s parents and cousins.”

“Maybe they don’t want to see you,” Masato suggested plainly and Otoya held back a sigh as the two began their verbal sparring again. His eyes connected with Tokiya’s through the glass reflection and he slightly shrugged, turning back to Hikari and Tomochika.

Kai had opened the door for Tomochika and Hikari had followed Dong-hae into the back seat. Otoya watched as Kai laughed before getting into the driver’s seat, putting his hat back on. The sedan started and drove away, going through the gates.

His mind stuck on Hikari, Otoya absently waved at Syo’s offer for a soccer game, heading back to his dorm and didn’t notice how they shared looks from his lack of reaction.

**_////_ **

Tapping the tiny compbook Hikari had given him one day when he’d been hit with inspiration, Otoya looked it over. The paper held a list of things he’d noticed were different about his female friends, indirectly and directly, and he stretched his arms out, glancing at the clock. Otoya blinked when he saw it was past dinner time. Ducking his head to check his slippers were still beneath the desk by his feet, he slid them on and spun in his chair, hopping up.

“Otoya.”

Snapping his head up, Otoya’s heart froze and a slight scream escaped him as he took in the sight of a pale Tokiya looming in the gloom of their room, the other teen dressed in dark casual clothes. The scream contained a Korean swear he’d overheard Hikari let out a little before they had their first recording session. “Dangsin!” Face turning red in mortification, he crumpled back in his chair, one hand against his chest, the other his face.

“What was that?” Tokiya asked curiously and Otoya shook his head.

Clearing his throat a couple times, he offered his roommate a nervously weak smile. “Something that’s probably bad. Did you need something?”

“Are you alright?” Confusion must have shown on the redhead’s face because Tokiya. “You seemed off after Nanami and Shibuya left and you missed dinner.”

Otoya laughed sheepishly as he put away his notebook, locking the drawer and putting his phone in his hoodie pocket. “I was just writing a few things down before I forgot them. Think there’s food in the common area?”

Tokiya stared at him silently before nodding. “Kurusu brought back a katsu kare curry dish and put it in the fridge. Shinomiya brought you a dessert as well.”

Freezing in opening the door, he looked at Tokiya in silent horror. “Please say he didn’t make it.”

Raising a brow, Tokiya said slowly, “Shinomiya bought it at the Saotomate.”

“Good…” His shoulders slumped in relief and he opened the door fully. Otoya steadfastly refused to answer Tokiya’s curious eyebrow. Instead, he followed some of Hikari’s actions when confronted with a situation she didn’t want to deal with - be as obnoxious as possible. Bouncing his steps, he grabbed Tokiya’s sleeve and tugged his unwilling roommate after him. “Ne, ne, Doki-Doki, do you think the TV is free? I wanna see if that one show is on…” He continued rambling as they entered the common area, noticing absently only their group was still up. Curiously, Ringo and Ryuya were there.

Jerking his wrist, Tokiya freed himself and shook his head at Otoya, who was pouting at his roommate. “Join us when you get your food. And don’t call me that.”

“Mean,” he complained but did so, bouncing in place as he waited for his food to heat up. Otoya pulled his phone out of his pocket and blinked in mild surprise, peeking back at his friends to make sure they didn’t notice. He double checked that the volume was low. “Tomo-chan, hey.”

She grinned at him, face fully shown on the screen. “Hey, Otoya. We forgot to tell you guys we got here safely.” Tomochika frowned slightly as she looked around the room she just entered. Otoya figured it was the kitchen because he spotted a blender before she turned away.

“What’s wrong?”  The male asked as he set his phone down to get his food, pulling out a fork and spoon on the way.

“I was sent to get the snack tray and drinks, but I can’t find the huge wooden tray Dong-hae was talking about.” Tomochika made a noise. “No, wait. Hang on, I need to put the phone down.”

“Don’t drop anything,” he warned absently as he picked up his own food and drink, phone beside the water glass as he walked over to the counter. 

“I won’t, I won’t,” Tomochika hummed and he could hear the sounds of dishes clattering.

“So what all are you doing over there?” Otoya asked as he leaned the phone against a napkin dispenser and took a bite on tonkatsu. “I’m guessing something loud, I think I can hear Hikari.”

Tomochika snickered and a hand passed by the camera. “Right now, she’s probably losing ohajiki to Dong-hae. Don’t play against him if it’s a game of accuracy, he’s got it down to an artform.”

A hum left him as he swallowed. “Sounds like she’s swearing in Korean again.”

“Probably. I’m trying not to listen to closely in case one of the words get stuck in my head. Don’t want to stub a toe and say something insulting without knowing the meaning.” The female answered and squealed as she dropped something. “Stupid tray!”

Otoya snickered. “I’ve already done that. Could you ask Hikari or one of her relatives what ‘dangsin’ means? Tokiya startled me earlier and I bet he’s still wondering what it means.”

“Oh, I already know that one,” she answered, picking the phone up and putting it on her tray. “It’s just ‘you’ and non-polite. Dong-hae told me that went Hikari lost the first time.”

He slumped in relief. “At least it wasn’t a bad insult.”

“Not unless you’re somewhere in Korea,” Tomochika reminded him as she walked down a hall.

Otoya paused mid forkful. “I didn’t think of that… How is she?” He asked softly.

Her steps slowed and she locked eyes with him for a second. “So, you noticed, huh? Should’ve expected that… for now, she’s fine. But when we get back…” Tomochika trailed off.

“We put a lot on her, huh?” He smiled self mockingly into his curry.

“Just don’t bring it up when we get back, ne? Kari mentioned she wanted to do it without any intervention.”

“Okay. Should I mention it to the others? I think Syo and maybe Na-chan have noticed.”

Tilting her head in thought, she shook her head. “No. If they haven’t noticed, don’t. But if they try pushing the subject…”

“We’ll rein them in,” Otoya finished. “Between the two of us, I’m sure we can scare them into controlling themselves.”

“YOUR FACE IS BACON!” Tomochika jolted and her camera angle changed.

“RATHER IT BE BACON THAN TOFU!” Kai yelled back at Hikari and Otoya could hear the dramatic gasp.

“You did not just say that!”

The two (sane) redheads shared looks. “I’ll pray for you,” Otoya offered.

“Bless you,” Tomochika said and both hung up, intending on messaging each other later.

His lips twitched as he finished off his rice. “Bacon face. Tofu face.” He snickered at the thought and stood up, moving to clean his dishes off.

“Ikki,” he heard Ren call and he glanced over his shoulder. “When you’re done come join us. That show you like is on.”

“I will!” Otoya exclaimed, hurrying faster. He’d missed the last episode due to visiting his little siblings the previous Friday.

* * *

 

**_OMAKE:_ **

Otoya stretched during the commercial, brushing an arm against Syo. “Ah, sorry.”

The blond shrugged as he leaned back against the couch bottom, Natsuki on Otoya’s other side. Behind Otoya was Tokiya, Natsuki with Masato, and Ren with Syo. “It’s fine.”

“How long is this going to be on for?” Tokiya asked and Otoya craned his head back, dropping it on the darker haired teen’s knee.

“Thirty more minutes,” the redhead answered. He received an unimpressed look. “What? You don’t have work tomorrow, anyway.”

A sigh left Tokiya. “Not the point, Otoya.”

“Mah, lighten up, Ichi,” Ren drawled. “Even Ryuya and Ringo-chan are watching.”

“That’s only because neither of us have a TV,” Ringo chirped as he shifted in the arm chair he’d stolen from Masato.

“And this is an actual okay film,” Ryuya continued before grimacing. “Plus, one of the actors is from Shining Entertainment.”

“You don’t like the actor?” Natsuki asked.

Ryuya and Ringo shared looks from across the TV area. “It’s actress, actually, and not really. Sayumi is… uhm…” Ringo faltered, clearly trying not to insult the woman.

“She’s not nice in person, let’s put it at that.” Ryuya glanced at the coffee table. “Ittoki, you’ve got a message.”

Otoya straightened and reached to pick up the phone, immediately surrounded by his classmates. “Really?”

“It’s from Shibuya,” Masato noted casually.

He sighed but opened the chat and blinked at the many messages he got. “Woah, this was only five minutes ago.”

Slowly, they began reading through the messages, speaking or making noises at the messages.

**From: Tomo-chan** **  
** _ ‘Otoya’ _

**From: Tomo-chan**   
_ ‘Ohmygod, Otoya’ _

**From: Tomo-chan**   
_ ‘SHIORI HAS A SPIDER AS A PET’ _

“Spider?” Syo wondered. From the sides, Ryuya and Ringo looked at them in confusion.

**From: Tomo-chan**   
_ ‘WHAT SANE PERSON KEEPS A SPIDER AS A PET’ _

“It’s Shiori-san’s pet?” Natsuki blinked at the screen in confusion.

**From: Tomo-chan**   
_ ‘IT’S A TARANTULA’ _

“Uh oh,” Masato muttered and Ringo and Ryuya got up, peering over Masato and Ren’s shoulders respectively. “That does not sound good.”

**From: Tomo-chan**   
_ ‘IT’S A FUCKING GOLIATH BIRDEATER, OTOYA’ _

**From: Tomo-chan**   
_ ‘THE THING IS BIGGER THAN SYO’S HAT’ _   
*Insert picture*

Otoya cursed in shock, fumbling the phone.

“It is bigger than Kurusu’s hat,” Ryuya stated in shock.

**From: Tomo-chan**   
_ ‘I DIDN’T AGREE TO THIS’ _

**From: Tomo-chan**   
_ ‘WHAT THE FUCK’ _

**From: Tomo-chan**   
_ ‘IT BELONGS IN A RAINFOREST NOT JAPAN’ _

**From: Tomo-chan**   
*Insert video file*

Ringo tapped the play button before any of the teens could. 

The screen turned black for a moment before it changed. Tomochika appeared, clearly dressed for bed with a sleep mask around her neck and hair braided back, and behind her was a faucet, one for a shower. Surrounding it and the girl were plain red tiles and a sliver of a mirror was to her left.

“Otoya,” she greeted. “I bet you’re wondering where I am right. Well, until Shiori puts away the over sized spider, I will be hiding in the Nanami’s luxurious bathroom. Mainly, the shower.”

She did a slow preview of the room and Ren whistled. “I don’t luxurious is a good enough word for that bathroom.”

“It’s like a sauna,” Ringo observed.

“And, my favorite part of the room,” the camera tilted down and Natsuki made a happy noise as Chu came into view, eyes looking at the phone. “Don’t know if Syo and Natsuki told you about her, but this is Chupacabra or Chu-chan. Chu-chan, get off my legs before they go numb. For now, the bathroom is my refuge until Kai stops being an assHOLE-”

A muffled laugh sounded. “C’mon, Tomo-chan! Tora isn’t mean!”

“Go die!” She snapped, a dark glare on her face. Otoya began snickering, balancing the phone on a knee. Syo was shaking against his shoulder and Natsuki was shaking his head with a small smile.

“C’mon, I needta use the bathroom!” Kai complained, but had amusement in his voice.

“Kai, you do know we have another bathroom, right?” Hikari’s voice came through the speaker. “Wait, Tomo-chan, are you in there? Why?”

Tomochika sputtered, the redhead shaking the phone and earning a bark from Chu. “Do you NOT see the huge ass spider in is hands?!” She nearly shrieked.

“Yeah, it’s Shiori-unnie’s robot prop for Halloween. What’s that got to do with anything?” Hikari paused and there was a muffled thump. “Kai, you didn’t.”

“Oh, would you look at the time? I gotta go, bye, Tomo-chan!” Kai rushed and there was the sound of someone running.

Tomochika’s face was blank. “Otoya, if I don’t come back to the Academy it’s because I was arrested for murder,” she finally said, lifting herself up. “Tell Daiki I’m sorry.”

As she walked away, she blocked the camera as she tapped her phone. Otoya’s screen went back to the chat. He wheezed as Natsuki pulled his phone away, placing it on the table.

“Ryuya, did you know props could be like that?” Ringo asked as he sat back down.

The ginger copied him and moved his hand in a ‘eh’ way. “Kind of. I know some animal props are like that depending on the scene.”

“Ikki, can you breath?” Ren asked, patting Otoya on the head.

Coughing slightly to get himself together, Otoya grinned at him. “Yeah. Just - Kai’s going to get a tongue lashing from Tomo-chan.”

Syo choked on a laugh. “Three weekends ago,” he reminded Otoya and the redhead clutched his sides as he laughed.

“The-the guy looked like he was going to faint,” Otoya gasped and collapsed against Syo, both wheezing.

“I’m guessing Shibuya is terrifying when she scolds people?” Tokiya asked as he peered at Otoya.

“‘Terrifying’ is too small a word.” Otoya wiped at his eyes.

“Hikari had to bribe her with ice cream.” Syo added and the two straightened.

Otoya squawked. “Hey, why didn’t you say it started again?!”

“Were we supposed to?” Tokiya wondered. “Ow!” 

Removing his fingers, Otoya gave the higher teen an unimpressed look. “Being petty is Hikari’s job, not yours.”

“Petty?” Tokiya repeated in bemusement. “How is that being petty?”

“Hikari can be pretty petty,” Syo murmured as they focused back on the action.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No songs this chapter, take a bonus scene. I’m of the belief that Tomochika would totally be the one friend who can rip people to shreds with only her words. Also, Redhead Trio FTW! And yes, after flipping out over a garden snake her best friend handled, she’d also flip out over a gigantic spider her best friend’s cousin had (until she heard it was fake, anyway). Uh, what else… I crossposted this onto AO3, same username. I believe that’s all?
> 
> Until next time!


	10. Ten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

 

Hikari turned the volume up a bit on her music as she walked along the courtyard, feeling and seeing people's eyes on her. Apparently, word had gotten out about how she had six guys wanting her as their partner. A soft sigh left her and she tugged the white sash around her neck in annoyance. Being related to famous people, she expected strangers to look after her but this whole thing was completely different. People's eyes were on her because Hikari was the one being vied for. Rolling her shoulders, Hikari subtly sped her steps up, feeling like ants were crawling on her and she hated the feeling.

Rubbing her fingers against the sash, she wondered how Cecil got it to her without anyone seeing him sneak it into her room or how he did it while being a cat. ' _Maybe the curse broke?'_  Either way, it just added to the sense of home she needed to keep steady.

She reached the hall in record time and her steps slowed to a halt and she slumped against the glass panels. Pausing her music, she jerked her headphones off and stuffed them in her satchel. Hikari bunched up the white fabric and held it to her face, smelling the scent of Lunaria flower on it and tried calming herself.

The audition partner deadline was the next day and Hikari still hadn't decided. How could she when she didn't want just one? Despite her heredity, she doubted Saotome would let her have a group unless she could prove it and she couldn't figure a way to do that, either!

A touch to her shoulder startled her and she blinked her eyes open at Ringo, straightening up and off the wall. "Hikari-chan, what's wrong? You looked like you were in a trance."

Smiling wryly as she dropped the fabric, letting it hang around her neck again, Hikari shrugged. Her fingers wound in the fabric. "Just thinking. Sensei…" Hikari bit her lip, wondering how to ask. She didn't have to.

Ringo tilted his head, considering her. "I'm not going to let you quit. You need to face this head on. Those boys are eagerly waiting for your choice and it's your duty to give them an answer as soon as possible."

A slight laugh left the girl. "You sure are blunt, sensei." Dipping her head, she turned and began walking away, internally despondent.

The teacher continued speaking. "Understand if you don't submit your form, not only you, but all six of those boys will be disqualified, too."

 _'No pressure then,'_ Hikari thought to herself mockingly.

**^V^**

Staring up at the ceiling, Hikari shifted her knees up and rolled her head to the right, looking at the glowing red numbers on her nightstand.

3:37

She sat up and slid out of bed, knowing she wouldn't get anymore sleep as she dressed in casual clothing instead of her uniform (if she looked at it, she might toss it out the window). Words, specifically Ringo's and Cecil's, ran through her mind as she glanced at the framed flower the teen had given her, resting on her desk. Hikari paused in sliding her shoes, rerunning the words in her mind again. Blinking, her eyes narrowed and then widened, a grin slowly forming.

"Muse," she whispered as she began gathering a couple things, including her writing kit, console, and laptop. "You just got yourself a new convert."

Sliding her newly bought leather gloves (Tomochika had gotten exasperated with her tree climbing and needing bandages), Hikari slid through the balcony doors and locked them with the key before making her way down the perennial vines. She had music to write.

* * *

Otoya rubbed an eye as he looked over the letter he'd gotten from Hikari. He made his way slowly through the hall to the practice room. He wondered if she'd come to a choice. He hoped she did, not just because he wanted her as his partner, but she seemed more stressed than she had the first few weeks here. The signs weren't obvious and he could only tell because she reacted to things different from normal. Not to mention what the other guys had mentioned. His shoulders slumped as he reached the doorknob, mumbling, "Need to stop watching soccer games so late."

Entering the room, he automatically shut the door and headed to a nearby chair, fully intent on sitting down.

"Yo, Ikki."

He screamed, head jerking up to see Ren and Masato at the opposite side of the room. They were just as startled as he was, if only because of his reaction. The paper slid from his hand and he crumpled, a wheeze escaping him.

"Otoya," Masato called and he could feel and hear them stepping closer.

A hand pressed against his shoulder and he blinked watery eyes up at them. "Are you alright?" Ren asked, a frown on his normally playful face.

"No, I'm not alright! Why weren't you two making any noise?!" Otoya let them pull him into a sitting position, looking around. He wailed and shook Masato's wrist. "You don't even have the light on!"

Masato's lips twitched and Ren chuckled, tugging him onto his feet. "That would be my doing," Masato admitted. "The sunrise was beautiful this morning and the windows have a perfect view of it."

"The sun can go back to sleep," Otoya returned petulantly, bending to pick up the letter. "I guess Hikari asked you guys here, too?"

Sharing looks, the two pulled out letters from their person. They shared looks, Masato's face blank and Ren looking sure he'd be chosen. Otoya simply hummed and moved to take a seat, murmuring, "Maybe she'll stop stressing, now."

"Stressing?" Masato's voice made him jump again (he felt wider awake more than even having too much syrup on his pancakes). "What do you mean?"

Otoya goggled him and Ren, both looking confused now. He could feel the sweat forming. "Uh…" ' _Tomo-chan's going to kill me!'_

"Ikki," Ren began with a warning tone, both clearly not wanting to let the inquiries go.

Otoya noticed it, but he was too busy panicking over how Tomochika was going to react when she found out (and she always did, she could get information better than the headmaster, Ringo, and Ryuya). ' _She's going to give me a verbal flaying,'_ he thought in silent horror, face paling at the thought.

The door opened and Otoya barely stopped himself from tackle hugging Syo and Natsuki. He cried happily on the inside. ' _My heros!'_

Syo walked further into the room with a look of confusion. "What's this about?"

Natsuki shut the door and held up his own envelope. "Kari-chan has called us here, apparently."

Moving to lean against the piano, he held up his own when the short blond looked at him. Ren had gone back near the window and Masato near the chairs. All five looked back at the door when it opened again. Otoya blinked at Tokiya. 'Ah, that's what Tomo-chan meant they had to leave early Friday. Being Hayato's twin, and one of her options, would make Hikari panic further.'

"You got the summons, too, Icchi?" Ren asked, obviously rhetorical.

Running a hand through his hair, Otoya glanced at the door and wondered when Hikari would come. She was running late. He very carefully ignored how Masato and Ren were trying to bore their eyes into him.

"Why did she call us here?" Syo wondered as he straddled a chair.

"We evidently have a commonality," Natsuki noted as he glanced down at his roommate.

"We all chose Hikari as our partner," Otoya said, glancing at the letter. Frowning, he lifted his head. "Doki-Doki, how come you didn't mention you put Hikari down?"

Tokiya frowned at him. "Don't call me that. And there was no need to tell you."

Wilting dramatically, Otoya slumped against the piano. "So cold…"

He frowned into the piano as Ren and Syo discussed deciding who was to be her partner between themselves, Masato jumping in when Ren mentioned fate. Otoya held back a groan at how childish they could be (ignoring how hypocritical that was). Straightening as Masato stood, they all looked at the door when it opened a third time. Pursing his lips slightly, Otoya noticed how Hikari was dressed in sweats and a hoodie, her hair in a messy bun. Her bag was bulging slightly against her waist and papers were in her arms. The white sash from the day before was looped around her neck and left arm.

"Sorry I'm late!" She rushed, stopping a few feet away. "The printer was down so I had to do it by hand!"

Otoya blinked as Masato asked, "By hand?"

Hikari grinned and the redheaded male noticed how the majority of the stress disappeared with the action. She held the papers out. "This! Please look it over!"

The guys came closer and Otoya took the papers from her, spotting names at the top and passing them to their respective person. His eyes widened as he looked the sheet over, jaw dropping a little. He could see where she had erased when she messed up, places where she doodled small notes to the music, and he glanced at her again, seeing how despite the tired look, she was happy.

Ren made a noise. "This song…"

"It's made for six people," she finished and grinned a little wryly. "Humor me, it's going to get a little flowery in here."

Eyes widening slightly, Otoya focused on her. He could be more attentive with the music scores later.

Taking a deep breath, Hikari linked her hands together and looked them fully on. "I want to create a group song. All of you chose me to be your partner and I can't say how happy that makes me." She was telling the truth, Otoya wondered in surprise. Despite all the stress they put on her. "And then I had to choose only one of you, even though you all thought of me sincerely and I'm sorry for that… But I had a thought." Her eyes shined with silent cheer. "What if all of you got together?"

"You wrote this because you couldn't choose one of us?" Masato asked and Otoya winced at the bluntness.

"What? No!" Hikari looked stunned, like the thought hadn't come to her. "That's not it at all!" She looked around at them, locking eyes. Another breath in. "This may sound odd, but I feel like meeting you guys is a once in a lifetime chance. This vision mustn't end… and I believe , if you sing together, this song will warm your hearts and lift your spirits. An enchanting melody will be born from it!"

Staring at first at the sheet and then her, Otoya could tell she fully believed in the song. And, he realized with some surprise, he wanted to believe in it full-heartedly, too. "I'll do it."

Hikari looked at him in slight surprise. "Otoya?"

He gave her a beaming grin that forced his eyes closed, which he quickly opened to look at her straight in the eye. "I want to sing your song no matter what, after all!"

"I…" Syo began after a moment, a little hesitant sounding. "When I saw your letter, I felt like king of the world 'cause I thought you chose me… but it wasn't just me… and it's okay. If I can sing your song, I'll go along with it."

She began smiling at him, her eyes lighting up. Otoya bumped his shoulder lightly against Syo's, sharing grins.

From the left, Natsuki spoke up. "To be honest, I was surprised. I never expected a group number…" The tall blond trailed off and the two who already agreed looked at him, Syo leaning forward.

"Out with it! You gonna join us or not?"

"Please let me think about it," Natsuki said at last.

"I agree," Masato added. "I can't give an answer right away."

Otoya followed him as the bluenet sat down in a chair. "What are you talking about? Hikari wrote a song for us to sing together!"

"I decline."

Surprised, both looked over at Tokiya. The others were just as startled.

Tokiya was frowning. "I've never heard of a graduation audition like this."

"Ichinose," Hikari started, turning to look at him fully.

He cut her off, looking unimpressed and the girl recoiled. "Tell me, how is it that you could come up with a plan like this? Everyone here wanted to be the lone person chosen and that's because we believe we can sing your songs best."

Otoya's eyes widened as he saw the expression on her face, recognising it as one that meant Hikari was trying not to explode at them. Her cheeks were flushing slowly. "Ichinose," she said softly, blinking to try and calm down. "I'm sure that if you all try and sing it together, it'll-"

"Should I lie to my own feelings?" Tokiya was slowly shaking his head. "I can't lie to myself, again."

Hikari faltered and the male redhead could see her hope falling. Ren added to it, saying, "I agree with Icchi. I hate turning down a request from you, Lady, but when it comes to choosing, I want to be chosen alone." Otoya felt his stomach clench as Hikari's face fell further.

Bang!

They all jumped and stared at the door, Saotome appearing and cackling as he stood in the doorway, Ringo peeking from behind him. The crossdresser smiled as he waved a bit. "I'm sorry, but I was so worried about Hikari-chan I went to the headmaster!"

Otoya looked at the pinket in disbelief and looked worriedly at Hikari, who had frozen with shock and confusion on her face. Betrayal was there in her frowning lips. "Sensei…"

Saotome cut in, pulling off a few dance moves before stopping in front of Hikari, who merely blinked up at him. "I heard everything. You want to audition as a group. It's a verrry interesting idea! But… I cannot allow it!"

"Why not?" Otoya blurted out, trying to get the attention off of Hikari.

"Don't you know the meaning of pair?" Saotome drawled, peering at him. Absently, he wondered if this is what the girls meant by wanting to toss something at someone. "It's one and one!"

"Headmaster," Hikari tried speaking once more. Her fists clenched as she tried to rally herself again.

"Choosing six people is too greedy, Miss Nanami!" Saotome leaned closer, practically shoving his face near hers.

"It's not about that!" She exclaimed, leaning away as much as she could. "Please, just listen to me!"

Saotome tsked and straightened up as he held a finger up. "Please, follow the rules. You can only choose one from many. It may be cruel, but you know that's how it is in business, nay in life! Therefore, right here and now, break up this group and choose a partner, puhlease! If you don't, you'll all fail!" The man tossed his head back and began laughing again.

* * *

Hikari was looking out the window and Otoya was a few steps behind her. He'd waited for everyone else leave after Ringo and Saotome, ignoring the probing looks from Masato and Ren. All of the music sheets were in his hands and he moved to put them on the chair Syo had previously been sitting on as it was the nearest table-like surface.

"Kari," he called and she hummed faintly. "I think I understand what you wanted to do. So…"

"It's alright, Otoya," She spoke softly and turned to him. He stilled at how shiny her eyes were. "I've been really off my game lately… thank you."

Their eyes locked and he could tell she wasn't thanking him for accepting her proposal. It was for seeing how out of it and stressed she was and doing little things to make it better since she got back. Otoya was stunned, but still moved.

Stepping towards her, he wrapped her arms around her shoulders, pressing her face into his shoulder. "If you ever need to talk…"

She stiffened but took the opportunity to accept the hug and buried her face into his shoulder, her voice muffled. "Thank you."

_**^V^** _

Making her way down the hall back to the recording room she'd used earlier for her discs, Hikari felt dull as she ran the whole affair through her mind. Smiling self-mockingly, she shook her head slowly. "Since when is it ever that easy for me…"

She reached the room and entered it, seeing the note Shin, the man he usually used the studio for the students, had left behind. Looking it over, it said he had a meeting and would leave the room for her to shut down. A hum left her and Hikari moved to gather the discs she'd used to mash together to get used to the boys' voices.

From the recordings the boys had done or passed on to her, she'd used them to make a simple tune containing the voices and make a nice and easy melody to get a grip on them to make an actual song they could make.

It had worked, but apparently it was all for naught.

Staring at the player holding the disc with the melody, her finger slowly moved to press play.

"Hey!" Otoya.

"Flowers." Masato.

"Peace." Ren.

"Heroes!" Syo.

"Shadow." Natsuki. Or Satsuki, as it were.

"Truth." Tokiya.

Burying her face in her hands, she crouched and let it play.

**V^V**

Otoya stared silently at the sheets of music Hikari had left behind in the training room. He was back in his dorm room, avoiding Ren and Masato who he had spotted lingering in the school hall for him. The redhead didn't know where Tokiya was, but silently relieved he wasn't in their dorm.

The music scores ran through his mind, the piano notes being replaced with his guitar notes. His finger tapped the arm of the chair before he stood and moved to his desk chair. Lyrics were adding to the notes as they played and he quirked a lip up as he sat down, hand reaching for a pen.

"We may not be allowed to sing, but damn if we can't finish it."

_**^V^** _

Somehow she'd ended up back in the training room. Her bag had been taken by Tomochika when the girl had come to check on her.

Scuffing noises came from her shoes as she wandered closer to the piano, pausing behind the bench. She gazed at the keys before slowly drawing her hand down them, listening as they went from high to low. Right to left. Her fingers stilled on the last key.

At the sound of the door opening, she straightened and blinked at her fellow redhead. "Otoya?"

He smiled lightly at her, closing the door. "I don't care if it's with a group or not, it has to be you, Hikari." Otoya stepped closer and she moved swiftly to stand in front of him.

"Otoya, I…" She began, unsure where to begin.

Otoya bopped her on the nose and grinned at her, her chest lightening at the understanding smile. "I was really worried, you know. I could tell something was off… Here. You didn't have any lyrics, right? I thought of some."

Blinking as she took the sheet, a small smile forming. "Otoya, you goof…" Hikari moved to hug him. He hugged back before pulling away, resting his hands on her shoulders. Otoya opened his mouth to speak.

"Hold it, Otoya!" Syo barked and made the red duo blink at each other, looking towards the door. Otoya dropped his hands as he bounced slightly. "A guy can't be too careful around you!"

Stilling, Otoya looked at Syo in confusion. "Eh?"

"Syo, Natsuki," Hikari ignored the weird sentence from the blond chibi and looked at them hopefully.

"Your tune is great," Natsuki began as the two blonds stopped in front of them. Green-yellow eyes peered up at the tallest blond. "Even though I only saw it for a moment, I can't get it out of my mind."

"So we decided," Syo continued, placing his fists on his waist.

Natsuki finished. "We want to work together with you, as vocalists."

She threw herself at them, latching around their middles and squeezing them. "Thank you," she breathed out and pulled away, both too surprised to hug back.

Blinking rapidly, Syo blushed and smiled at her. "We want everyone to hear your song, Hikari." He abruptly scowled at nothing. "And I don't want a certain somebody to be the only one that looks cool!"

Once again ignoring the weird sentence, Hikari bounced on the balls of her feet.

"You can't choose… that's what you said, right?" Masato said, voice coming from the door. Blue eyes gazed at her. "I want to bet on that vision you mentioned, too, Hikari."

Wordless, she slid the music sheet into syo's hands and rushed to hug the blue haired teen. He grunted, but hugged back as they steadied each other. "Thank you," she said again, face pressing against his shoulder before pulling away. Their hands caught and he squeezed lightly then released them.

"What the hell?" Syo squawked from behind and she turned to look at him. He looked baffled. "These lyrics aren't finished!"

Otoya wilted as he motioned to himself. "I tried my best…"

Natsuki chuckled and patted his shoulders. "Let's finish them together," he suggested.

Looping her arm in the man's traditional position, she escorted Masato closer to their friends. Grinning, she tugged a chair with her towards the grand piano, asking, "What are we waiting for?"

* * *

Hikari yelped as she smacked into Ringo, looping her arms around the startled crossdresser and spinning them to a steady halt. She swiftly released him and Syo grabbed her shoulder to make she didn't fall over her own feet.

"Hikari-chan?" Ringo looked at her in startled confusion. "Why are you running? What's going on?"

Not answering, Hikari asked, "Where's the headmaster?"

"At the heliport," the man answered. " He was invited to a festival meeting. Why…"

"That's just down the stairs," Syo exclaimed and moved past Hikari and Ringo, leading the way.

The teacher called after them in bewilderment. "Everyone, what's going on?"

The teens didn't answer, fully intent on making it before the man left. Hikari was the one last down the stairs and Natsuki caught her hand, Masato catching Otoya before he could fall with the portable electone. Syo moved to open the door. Lightly pushing her back, Natsuki followed after the rest as Hikari moved quickly towards the heliport, calling out to Saotome just as he stepped up onto the mini staircase.

"Saotome, please wait!"

He turned to look at them, a frown forming on his face in the bright spotlights.

"Please, listen to this song!" She insisted, raising her voice to a yell above the wind.

"Miss Nanami, you haven't given up on that yet?"

"Please!" Was all she said, doing a full 90 degree bow.

"We finished it!" Natsuki called from behind her, Syo adding, "Just listen t our song!"

"Headmaster!" Masato and Otoya chorused. All were full of determination.

A frown of disapproval deepened on the man's face. "You've already heard from me that if you break the rules, you'll fail!"

"Fail us or not, do it after the song!" Hikari straightened and looked to the side, spotting Ren and Tokiya.

She stepped a bit closer. "Ren, Ichinose."

Ren smiled at her as he released the flower in his hand. "Don't get the wrong idea, Lady, even now I want you to choose me."

"Headmaster!" Tokiya called, gazing at the man. "You already know of her talent, right?"

"If you don't hear it now, you'll regret it for the rest of your life!" Ren added. "It's your only chance!"

Saotome stared before nodding his consent. Her blood sang as she moved to help Masato set up the piano, moving behind it afterwards and let her fingers dance.

" **Come on, Let's song!**  
Let's sing of our dreams! (Let's shout!)  
Let's sing to the sky! (Let's go!)  
Let's make our story burst forth!  
The map of the future! (Yes yes!)  
Let's draw it together!  
This revolution  
Let's go!  
Change the star of love!  
Check it out!

 **The last minute beating of a heart**  
Love's impulse becoming assertive  
Which do you choose, Princess?  
It makes my head reel round! 1000% Love!

 **Why? Because I'm overflowing with you!**  
My heart is agitated, a marvelous rave!  
Just you and me, let's make up a constellation nobody's ever seen!  
Better than a kiss, let's create a great world of song!

 **Come on, let's dance! (Let's shout!)**  
Let's dance to our dreams! (Let's Shout!)  
Let's dance in the sky! (Let's go!)  
Too much is just enough!  
You ready? (Yes, yes!)  
Your one time special life!  
This isn't in textbooks!  
Change the star of love! Check it out!  
Tonight, just you and me, it's 1000% love!"

Incomplete as it was, Hikari knew it would be better completed and she looked up from the keys, eyes widening as she noticed Saotome kneeling. "Headmaster?" She called.

His hand stopping them, Saotome asked, "What's the name of this song?"

Blinking, she and Otoya shared looks. 'We forgot the title?' She mouthed.

He shrugged and they turned back to the redheaded adult. He stood and began walking back to the helicopter, which started up again. "Headmaster…?"

Saotome glanced back at them. "I love the song so much, I want to hear it again and again. I love it not 100%, but 1000%! The title is "Maji Love 100%." If you think of any other title, too bad! That's what it is."

""Maji Love 1000%,"" she murmured as she smoothed her bangs away from her eyes.

"Alright!" Otoya abruptly crowed, fistpumping. "Hikari, we did it!"

"With this, we can perform the graduation audition!" Syo added, grinning.

Hikari bounced on her heels as she turned to her friends. "Hai!"

Otoya latched onto her and Tokiya, squishing their faces together and ignoring the other boy's disgruntlement. "Let's seriously aim for 1000%!"

"Yes, yes," Ringo cut off their celebrations. They looked over at him. "However, it's late and you still have classes tomorrow. Not to mention, I think the piano belongs to the school, not any of you."

Still glowing in triumph, the students gathered up what they used and made their way back inside, Otoya once again carrying the case. The boys were buzzing with excitement still, but she felt sleepy, not having gotten a lot of sleep with the whole thing going on. At least she didn't have to worry anymore about choosing. ' _Ah… I really am greedy.'_  A soft smile pulled at her lips.

**V^V**

Tokiya watched as Otoya and Masato put away the piano and glanced at the others in their small group. Ringo had left a while ago, citing the need to go bed soon.

Natsuki and Syo were speaking quietly and watching Otoya and Masato. Ren was needling Masato with a mischievous look on his face. They were all rather pleased with the outcome despite not being the sole person chosen, but they admitted it sounded better together.

He glanced over at the girl who brought them and frowned slightly at her slightly glassy eyes. "Nanami?"

His voice caught all of their attention and the guys looked at her. Her head tilted his way and she hummed. "Hmm?"

"Are you alright?" Tokiya asked, turning to look at her fully.

Blinking, her eyes flicked to him and she considered the question. "Nope."

"Hikari?" Otoya called, but she didn't look at him, instead focusing on Tokiya. He was a bit unnerved, but didn't show it.

"You and Ren were late." Nanami tilted her head, eyes clearing fully. A rather feral grin came across her face and he shared a slightly wary look with the other teen. "You two didn't receive a hug."

Tokiya nearly fell over, expecting something worse. "A hug? Oof!" He stepped back to brace himself, Nanami hugging him tightly around the middle. His hand barely touched her shoulder before she was releasing him and aiming for the strawberry blond.

They all winced as the two landed on the floor, Nanami twisting them so she hit the ground of Ren. She ignored it with ease, experience from her cousins, and rubbed their cheeks together with a mischievously gleeful look on her face. A giggle escaped her before she pressed an obnoxious kiss against Ren's forehead. "Mine!" She crowed, ignoring Ren's attempts to remove his face from her shoulder. "All of you suckers are mine!"

The five teens not being clung to shared looks, Masato holding a hand to his mouth and trying not to laugh at his rival's predicament. Syo turned away, shoulders shaking. Natsuki was simply smiling and Otoya shook his head, finishing putting the equipment away. He passed the music sheet to Masato before walking to the floor duo, leaning over the lone girl. "Ne, Hikari, I think you're smothering Ren."

The girl stilled before swiftly releasing Ren and pulled them both up to their in a few smooth moves. She nearly toppled over, though, and Otoya was quick to pick her up, tossing her over his shoulder. The redheaded male turned and grinned at them. "Hey, I'm going to take Hikari to the girls' dorms. Let's meet up tomorrow to finish the lyrics fully, same room?"

Natsuki was the only one to nod in reply.

"Great!" Otoya chirped and turned just as Nanami snapped out of her shock.

"Oi, Otoya! What're you doing, put me down!" Placing her hands on his back she pushed herself up and wiggled, trying to make him release her. "Lemme down!"

Gripping her legs so she didn't kick him, the redhead ignored her, walking, and spoke curiously, "Did you know you get weird when you're sleepy? And affectionate, it's kinda weird, Hikari."

"Who the hell cares?!" She snapped, wriggling harder, even trying to throw herself off him. "Ow! Did you just pinch me?! Otoya!"

"Hikari, I'm sorry, but Tomo-chan is more frightening than you are." They could see him pinch her leg again, earning a squeal.

Staring after them as the two moved around a corner in surprise, they jumped when Ren facepalmed. Turning to look at him, the strawberry blond gave his roommate an exasperated look. "We forgot to ask him again."

Masato, eyes widening with realization before he pinched the bridge of his nose. "He kept distracting me when we were still in the training room, too."

"What do you mean?" Natsuki asked, all of them moving in closer.

Tokiya kept his face blank as Ren and Masato shared looks. "This morning, before you guys came in the room," Ren began. "Ikki said something about Lady and for her to stop stressing."

Syo crossed his arm, resting his chin on a palm as he sighed. "I thought something was wrong," he admitted, eyes closing in ruefulness. "After Natsuki and I told her that we wanted to be her partner. I've never seen her so… blank."

"Her and Tomo-chan did leave quickly after school on Friday," Natsuki reminded them.

Pursing his lips, Tokiya said slowly, "When I went after Otoya on Friday, I noticed he didn't seem to hear me come in. It was only after I told him you got his dinner that he reacted." He paused, brows furrowing. "He also seemed to be writing something down, but I didn't look over his shoulder in case it was a song."

Silence fell. Despite his exterior, Tokiya was feeling guilty. He hadn't noticed that at all and he couldn't fully blame it on going back to S-Class. They usually saw each other in the cafeteria and halls, after all.

"Do you think we should do something for her?" Masato suddenly asked, blinking at them. "It's clear Otoya has been helping her in his own way."

Glancing at each other, Natuki wondered, "But what should we do?"

The teens exchanged blank looks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Waves pompoms) And STARISH has been created! And the author has made it almost to the end of the first season! (waves pompoms again)
> 
> You guys should know the song in this chapter. ;D


	11. Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

 

Hikari stretched her arms as she got out of bed. Moving to change into running clothes, she pondered the events from the previous day. After Otoya had carried her to the dorm (she owed him an apology, she knew she acted like a brat when she was tired), Tomochika had taken her from him, forcing the shorter girl to eat, bath and go to bed. Tomochika was rather pushy when it came to her friends. Hikari owed both of them a lot.

Her run would be short, she wouldn’t push herself after stressing herself out so much.

**_^V^_ **

She gathered her stuff for a shower hurried. During her run, a melody come to her mind once more for the boys and while she recorded it on her phone, she wanted to get it on paper before she met them. There was at least one perk to getting up early.

Rushing around a corner, she skidded to a stop, freezing beneath an unimpressed gray gaze. “Sayumi-shishou!” She squeaked.

The lovely actress looked her up and down. “Nanami,” Sayumi Kishimura said. “How many times do I have to tell you not to run in the halls?”

Slumping, Hikari kicked at the grund. “I lost count over forty,” she admitted, and peeked at the older woman through her bangs. “I can make you bribes?”

Sayumi stared hard at her. “I want a double-batch and nothing more, nothing less.”

Kicking her heels together, Hikari saluted. “Yes, ma’am!”

“Be gone with you, you’re stinking up the hallway.” The raven-haired woman motioned her away.

Hikari bolted.

“No running!”

“Think of the bribes!” She called back.

“Laundry duty!” Sayumi barked back and Hikari stumbled.

“Hmm… maybe a little more bass here?” Hikari tapped the sheet.

“I agree,” Natsuki said before trying to hum it.

Otoya chuckled. “Why don’t you let the console do that, Na-chan?”

A noise from Syo made them look at the blond. He sighed as he spun his hat.

“What’s up, Syo?” Hikari asked.

His eyes darted to hers before he drooped against the back of the chair he was straddling. “Somehow, it’s not right today…”

“Of course, we’re short one member,” Ren said and her eyes flicked between the two, wary.

“Tokiya was late yesterday, too,” Syo recalled.

“He said he was busy at his part time job, but…” Otoya trailed off.

“I’m sure he’ll be here,” Hikari said confidently. Tilting her head back, she glanced at Natsuki and Otoya. “Shall we continue?”

“What is Ichinose’s job?” Masato instead asked Otoya.

The redhead shrugged. “I don’t really know. He leaves after class is over and comes back late at night. A lot of times he doesn’t make it back till morning. I’m surprised he doesn’t collapse from exhaustion.” Hikari frowned and lowered her eyes to the piano keys. She really didn’t like the sound of that.

“As always, he does things at his own pace,” Ren mused. “Like he’s the only special one…”

Her hand slipped and banged the piano keys hard, making them jump. A pained noise left her as she pressed her face against the keys, holding her hurt fingers tightly. “Oww…”

Otoya pressed his hand against her shoulder and she could hear the slight amusement. “You okay?”

She growled, but didn’t reply as she heard the door open. Waving her hand out, Hikari nodded to Ichinose. “Yo, Ichinose.”

He offered her an apologetic look as he panted. His breathing took too long to regulate and her brows furrowed. “I-I apologize for my lateness…”

“Icchi,” Ren drawled and making the other teen look at him. “Are you almost done with your part-time job? I was getting tired of waiting for you… I thought you weren’t coming today.”

“Ren,” she said softly and he glanced at her. “That’s enough. Take your anger out on something else.” He blinked, slightly surprised. “Anyway, I’ve got something for you lot.”

Standing, Hikari moved to her bag, kneeling. Flipping through a binder, she tugged out seven sheets. She removed them and stood, shuffling them and passing them to their respective person. Moving back to the piano, she sat back down and smiled slightly at them. “So, wanna start on that since 1000% is practically done?”

Natsuki glomped her, rubbing their cheeks together as he said cheerfully, “Of course!”

She pinched his cheek. “I can’t do anything if you’re clinging to me!” Hikari scolded and Otoya chuckled, earning a face from the composer.

As they spread out on the grass near the lake, Hikari fixed her leggings, the air cool with an upcoming summer storm. Eyeing Masato’s sweater absently, she flailed when he tossed it to her. Smiling sheepishly at getting caught, she tugged it on before he could take it back. Hikari looped the white sash around her neck like a scarf.

“This song is fantastic!” Otoya cheered as he plopped down beside the lake, closer to the edge than she was. He had a wild grin on his face.

Natsuki was already leaning back on his arms, soaking up whatever sunlight was available. “When everyone’s voices blended together, it warmed my heart.”

“With this melody and our lyrics, we can ace the graduation audition!” Syo exclaimed, smacking fist into a palm.

“We’ll come out winners and make our debut!” Natsuki added, smiling brightly. His eyes moved around the others. “It’s not just a dream, right?”

“Nope!” Otoya rejected with glee. “We’re gonna come in at first place! Right?”

Hikari nodded when he glanced at her. “Hai!”

“All that’s left is the dance,” Masato noted before glancing at Ren. “I noticed your steps are loose, Jinguji.”

The strawberry blond hummed, his eyes languid as they landed on Hikari, who squinted warily at him. “If little flower would wink at me, I wouldn’t mind putting im serious effort.”

Shifting the sash up a bit, she raised a brow and hooked an ankle around a snickering redhead’s wrist, pulling it out from beneath him. “Wouldn’t that be more of an award? I don’t want to make you faint before a dance routine, after all,” she teased, giggling as Otoya childishly snagged a shoe from her and began playing hot potato with Syo.

“What about a thrown kiss?” Ren wheedled.

“Reward,” Hikari singsonged. “Hey! If my shoe lands in the water, you two will join it! Now give it back, my toes are cold!”

The guys laughed and chuckled as Otoya made a big show of giving back her shoe.

**V^V**

Tokiya blinked. One second, Nanami’s pouting face was clear then it wasn’t. Closing his eyes, the sounds of his friends seemed like they were coming through a tube or underwater. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to gather himself.

“Are you okay, Tokiya?” Blinking, he tilted his head up at the redhead, Nanami and Syo on either side. The other three were behind them, waiting. “Same time tomorrow?

The darker haired teen nodded and offered a reassuring smile. “Yes. Got it.”

Waiting until at least the guys left, he placed a hand against the tree trunk and pushed himself up. For a moment, he leaned against the tree, slumping down slightly before stepping away towards Nanami, who was staring at him.

The grass rustled as she came closer. “Ichinose, are you okay?”

Everything wavered and flickered after she spoke and he pitched forward. Tokiya expected to hit the ground, yet thin, but strong arms wound their way around his waist, steadying him. His head dropped onto Nanami’s shoulder and he felt silk-like cotton press against his face, smelling of a strange, but pleasing flower fragrance. He blinked slowly, gathering his bearings once more.

Her hands lightly and gently pushed him up by the arms and one touched his forehead, cool and soothing. “Hot!” She breathed and he jolted back, ignoring the slight dizziness that resulted from the sudden movement.

“Sorry,” he said quietly, internally mortified at his lack of composure. “I’m just a little tired.”

Her green-yellow eyes narrowed. “You can’t really think I’ll believe that, do you?”

Dipping his head, he stepped past her then looked back at her. “I can take care of it,” he replied and decided to go for broke at her scowl. “Really, Hikari, I can. It’s like you said after all. Meeting people like this only happens once in a lifetime.”

Hikari’s face softened in surprise and she bit her lip. “Just be careful, Tokiya,” she said at last. He nodded at her and began making his way back to his dorm, knowing he had another thing to look over for ‘Hayato’. Because of this, Tokiya didn’t focus as much as he usually did on his surroundings as he usually did and he ended up missing two things.

The first was behind him. Hikari’s face had filled with grim determination and she had her phone out, dialing someone.

The second a flash to his left. If he’d glanced over he would have noticed a gleam of a camera lens.

**_^V^_ **

Back in her dorm, Hikari stood in the middle of the commons as she tried to think of what to do next. It would only take Setsuna, one of the analysts at Nami Agency an hour or two to figure out Hayato’s schedule, but if Hikari needed to stalk Tokiya to make sure he didn’t do anything stupid, she’d need to figure out what to do about her classes.

Her face drained of blood as she realized what she had to do. “I have to speak with Sayumi-shishou,” she breathed out in horror. The woman was still most likely angry about this morning.  _ ‘I’ll triple the batch. Ichiro owes me for letting him off his shift from that one time… I think the paper for that is in my drawers somewhere, maybe my desk.’ _

Nodding to herself, Hikari set off for the woman’s room. Afterwards, she’d ask Tomochika if she could take over for her tomorrow. ‘So many bribes. At least Tokiya would get the tongue-lashing instead of me.’

The next day, Tokiya exited the after a commercial recording. Himura was speaking, something about dinner as they approached the car and he went around to the back seat. A slight gasp escaped him as his leg suddenly went out from beneath, the umbrella sliding from his hand and splashing into a puddle. In front of him, he could hear the sound of feet running through puddles and making loud splashes over the rain hitting the pavement. Tokiya nearly joined it as he almost collapsed near the car after failing to grab onto it. His arms and knees felt numb. Once again thin arms wound around him, holding him up. The white hit his eyes before the scent hit his nose.

“H-Hikari?” He breathed, trying to get his feet under him again. 

“Doki-babo,” she murmured into his hair. “It’s okay, I’ve got you.”

“Wha- Hayato!” Himura sounded so far away…

Tokiya listened to Hikari, letting the dark claim him as his eyes fluttered shut and body went weightless.

**V^V**

The first thing he noticed was that his face was pressed against a pillow. More specifically, the one at his penthouse as he could smell the cologne seeped into the pillow as the one he used for Hayato. The second was that his shirt was missing and he could feel the goosebumps appearing on his bare shoulders.

Scrunching his face, he lifted himself up and blinked, squinting into the light. He stilled at seeing Hikari leaning halfway onto the bed, one of his chairs pulled up to the bedside. Slowly and carefully, he slid out on the other side and went around, carefully scooping up the slim girl to place on the bed after smoothing out the covers. She didn’t even twitch as he accidentally thumped the chair loudly. Tugging his shirts back on, he opened his phone and winced at the missed calls, making an attempt to call Otoya, who didn’t answer. Tokiya spotted Hikari’s and turned it on, wincing again at seeing his bandmates having called the both of them a lot. He did wonder at how she figured out where he was at, but set it aside as a Nanami thing. The sound of the door opening made him turn.

His eyes widened at seeing Asari, the president of Ember Agency, the agency that started him as ‘Hayato’. Bowing slightly, he greeted the man quietly. “President Asari.

The man looked at him before glancing at Hikari, his expression strange. “Are you leaving?” Asary asked quietly, focusing on Tokiya.

Glancing at the sleeping composer, he shrugged, unsure on whether or not to wake her up.

“I brought a doctor over,” Asari continued, walking over to the pitcher and pouring a cup silently. “You still have a fever and should be in bed. IF you’re looking for Himura, he’s in a meeting. He’s worried about you, says it’s his fault.”

Tokiya swallowed and tried to speak. “President… uhm…”

Swallowing a pill, Asari cut him off. “It seems you’re a student at Saotome Academy.” He looked at him in shock. “I found out. And I trusted you.”

“I’m sorry!” Tokiya blurted out, lowering his voice as Hikari shifted. “I should’ve talked to you about it.”

“Your contract expires soon,” Asari noted casually, voice lowering in anger as he continued, turning to stare hard at the boy. “Are we to be finished then?”

“Just because Tokiya doesn’t want to be Hayato anymore doesn’t mean he’ll stop talking to you and Himura-san.” The males jumped and looked at Hikari, who was on her back and frowning at Asari. She rubbed an eye as she continued, sitting up to fully face the older man. “I don’t know anything about your guys’ relationship nor anything about Tokiya’s homelife, but from what I can tell, after speaking with others, Hayato isn’t going any further than where he is now. At Saotome, he can refresh without overdoing it like you guys are making him. He wants to sing…”

She fell silent, staring at Asari. Tokiya silently moved closer. “Hikari?” He called quietly. The girl ignored him as she climbed off the bed, reaching for Asari’s face. Said man was sweating for some reason, face flushed and trembling.

“Cold sweat,” she muttered and Tokiya felt something like dread build up in his stomach as he moved beside her, putting her phone in his pocket. “Is there discomfort in your chest?” A nod. “Any other limbs?” A weak gesture to his face and Tokiya could see her face draining of color. “Nausea, feeling light-headed?” Asari nodded a third time and Hikari quickly made him lie on the bed. “Tokiya, call for an ambulance. Now.”

“Hikari…?”

Her fearful eyes locked with his as she made Asari stay still, her fingers resting along the man’s pulse. “He need to get to the hospital. Go open the doors for easy access!”

He rushed, dialing as he went. When someone picked up, he had the door to his penthouse open and ringing for security. The words spilled from him, panic at what was happening making him stutter, something he hadn’t done in a long time.

_ ‘Is this my fault?’ _ Tokiya wondered as he spoke to the guard who answered.

Tomochika frowned as she listened to the guys speak, complaining about Tokiya again. Sharing a look with Daiki, who’d offer to help her with the boys’ composition, she opened a message from Hikari.

**From: Baby Animal**   
_ ‘Tomo-chan, Tokiya and I will be late, something’s come up. You can tell the guys if you think it’ll help you. Don’t know when we’ll be back. Sorry’ _

It seemed rushed. Tugging on her small braid, she looked up. “Hey!” She called, getting their attention. “Hikari’s with Tokiya and she said they’ll be late coming back.”

“Eh?” Otoya mumbled and looked back at the teens with a slightly sheepish expression. “Tokiya called a while ago, too.”

“What’s the point if we’re missing a person and our composer?” Masato glanced at Daiki. “No offense.”

The shy teen simply shrugged, offering a tentative smile which swiftly fell at Syo’s angry outburst. Daiki promptly tried to blend in with the piano and Tomochika shared an exasperated look with Natsuki, lightly smoothing the brunet’s hair.

“Dammit! What the hell’s with that guy?!” Syo scowled as he sat down, arms crossing. 

Tomochika thought of how grim Hikari and Sayumi had been when she’d been called to the actress’s office. How Hikari explained that she was worried about Tokiya, but he wouldn’t let her help. How she, with Sayumi’s approval, would act on the information from one of Nami’s workers and follow Tokiya, makes sure he didn’t end up in the hospital. Eyes lowering to her phone, she spoke almost absently, “Something must’ve happened.”

“What do you mean, Tomo-chan?” Looking up, she noticed they were all staring at her.

Lifting her phone up, she motioned to it. “The message Hikari sent, it seems panicked. I mean, the way she typed it, it’s stilted. In bursts, if that makes sense.”

“What could make her like that?” Syo wondered.

“There… is one thing. Rather, someone,” Ren said slowly, frowning. They stared at him in confusion. His eyes flicked up to Tomochika’s. “Haruka.”

Her eyes widened. “That would explain why she and Sayumi-shishou were so grim yesterday.”

“Otoya mentioned it, too,” Natsuki noted.

“Eh?” The redhead looked at him in confusion.

“You said you were surprised he didn’t collapse in exhaustion,” Masato reminded the group and clarified for the two who weren’t there. Silence fell among the group, worry and guilt filling them.

“But…” Daiki faltered at the glanced but continued. “Why would it be if he fainted from exhaustion? I mean, Hikari-san doesn’t seem like she’d really panic over someone fainting.”

Ren stood and walked out of the room and Daiki looked at Tomochika confused.

Tomochika could only shrug at his worried frown and looked back at her phone.  _ ‘Hikari… hurry back…’ _

Hikari walked away from the doctor to Tokiya, who appeared to be going through the music sheets. “Hey,” she said softly and sat down. “He came out of the surgery alright. Nakamura-sensei said he was asking for you.”

He glanced up at her and nodded, a strange look on his face. “Thank you.” Tokiya put away the sheets and stood up. “Can I leave my bag with you?”

Head tilting, she nodded and hugged him. “Not your fault, you know. Smokers sometimes have bad health.” Tension left him, something he probably hadn’t noticed. Lifting his arms, Tokiya hugged her back, thanking her once more before they separated and he entered the room.

She sat down, kicking her shoes off and curled up in a chair, hugging her legs. It was unbidden, but not unexpected as her fingers trembled before she locked her hands together, eyes closing, and  _ remembered _ .

_**\-------** _

_ Fourteen-year-old Hikari let out a cheer, pushing back the chair onto it’s back legs. “Finally, we get the house to ourselves!” Tossing a wicked grin at her cousin, Hikari wiggled her brows. “Wanna go stash hunting?” _

_ Haruka shook her head as she put the last glass away. “Ri-chan,” she began in a scolding way, “You know we can’t do that while watching over Tori.” _

_ Making a face, Hikari snickered as she lowered her chair. “I still can’t believe they named a dog ‘bird’, how goofy.” _

_ “Hai, hai,” Haruka said absently as she moved around the kitchen. “Could you get the bowls from the den?” _

_ “Sure!” Hikari hopped up and bounced to the doorway, freezing and spinning to point at the Tosa puppy. “Tori! Be a good puppet and love Ruka-chan while I’m gone!” _

_ The puppy cocked his head before letting out a small bark. Haruka wiped at her face, smiling slightly. _

_ “I’m taking that as a yes!” Hikari cooed before quickly disappearing down the hall, jogging on sock covered feet to the den. Sliding, she laughed and caught the door frame, spinning her way inside. Swooping she picked up the plastic bowls and danced back to the hallway, thinking it’d cheer her cousin up. Haruka seemed to be getting more… not quite distraught, but something and Hikari hated seeing her sweet cousin frowning.  _

**Thump**

_ Hikari frowned at the noise and when Tori began barking, she placed the bowls on a hall table and hurried, nearly slipping as she rounded into the kitchen. “Ruka?” _

_ Following Tori’s barking, Hikari dropped beside her cousin, rolling the abnormally pale girl onto her back. She patted Haruka’s face. “Ruka?” She felt for a pulse and it was racing beneath her fingers.  _

_ Shifting to her haunches, Hikari scrabbled blindly at the table, fingers brushing the home phone and she pressed in 1-1-9 and called. _

_ Not letting the person speak after answering, Hikari rushed out, “My cousin just fainted and her pulse is really high.” _

_ “Alright, miss,” the woman who answered said soothingly and continued asking questions. _

_ Everything after was like watching a silent movie. _

_ The neighbor next door came in after the responder had someone call the older woman after getting her number from Hikari. She’d open the door for the EMTs and called the girls’ family. Hikari had hugged Tori to her, the dog abnormally calm as he pressed against her chest. The EMTs asked for Haruka’s medical history and she’d pointed at a folder near the cookbooks, as the kitchen was the closest room to the front door. Vaguely, she recalled answering questions for the man who’d taken Haruka into the ambulance, her going in Yona-ajumma’s car, Tori still with her. The puppy had been her rock and the nurses didn’t have the heart to kick the puppy out, despite all the rules being broken. When her family got to the hospital, Yona-ajumma had taken Tori so Hikari could latch onto her Umma and Appa. _

_ Haruka’s too pale face and slowing pulse would stick with Hikari for weeks afterwards... _

_**\-------** _

“Hikari?” Blinking, Hikari was snapped out of the memory and she lifted her head up to lock eyes with Tokiya.

Smiling weakly, she asked quietly as she unfolded her arms and legs, tugging her shoes back on. “You ready to go back?”

He nodded, holding her arm steady as she got up. “What’s wrong?” Tokiya asked, seeing her scowl.

“My feet are asleep,” she answered, picking a foot up to rub at it.

“Hayato!” A masculine voice called out just as she finished tying her shoe. They looked up to see Himura. He slowed, seeing her and swallowed warily.

Looking between them, Hikari patted Tokiya’s arm and said, “I’m going to go wash my hands. Let’s meet at the reception desk.” At his nod, she moved away. 

Not needing to look up for signs, she hurried to the girls’ bathroom and headed to a sink, her phone back in her pocket and baseball cap on her head. Her hoodie sleeves were pushed up and soap covering her hands just as two girls walked in, one in a hospital scrubs (a patient, judging by the bandages wrapped on her arm), and the other in school clothes. They were giggling as they headed to the farthest sink.

“I can’t believe it!” The patient exclaimed as her friend helped her wash her hands, being careful with the bandaged wrist. “Hayato-sama’s really at Saotome?!”

Hikari almost fell over, slowing down her hand washing and eyes resting on her nails.  _ ‘No way…’ _

“Yep!” The other girl nodded enthusiastically. “It was posted online, I think there’s going to be a radio announcement.”

Making sure to not make it obvious she was in a rush, Hikari rinsed her hands off and dried them. Tossing the paper towels away, she bolted as fast as she could in a hospital hallway (nurses were terrifying people) and nearly smacked Tokiya to the ground if Himura hadn’t of grabbed them.

“We need to go.” Hikari removed her cap, placing it on Tokiya’s and making sure to at least cover his eyes. “Like, three minutes ago. Himura-san, if you ever wanna talk, ask Setsuna at Nami Agency for me.” Grabbing Tokiya’s wrist, she rushed them to the back stairways.

“Hi-Hikari, what’s going on?” Tokiya was rushed to keep her pace and she slowed.

“It’s out that you’re at Saotome,” she answered.

He nearly tripped. “What?”

“Two girls in the bathroom said it’s out online and there’s supposed to be a radio announcement.” Hikari raised a sardonic eyebrow at him as they reached the first floor, Hikari pulling her phone out and calling a taxi. “We need to get back quickly.”

“You think the paparazzi is going to be at the Academy?” He asked warily.

She shrugged and murmured into the phone. “Come on.” Hikari let his hand go and lead the way to the taxi driver who waved out at them. She could only just see the man’s white glove.

Dashing through the rain, she forced him inside first and followed after. “Saotome Academy, please, sir.” The man nodded and pulled out of the lot as the teens buckled in.

“Should I try calling Otoya, again?” Tokiya asked as he adjusted the hat.

Glancing at the dashboard, she nodded. “I’m going to send a message to Tomo-chan.”

She typed into the box that they were on the way back and she wasn’t sure if they’d be there before tomorrow due to the storm. Hikari jumped at Otoya’s voice.

“Tokiya!” The redheaded male exclaimed. “What’s going on?! Are you and Hikari okay? We’ve been waiting!”

Sharing looks, she motioned for him to answer. “I’m sorry,” Tokiya said with a grimace. “We’re on our way now.”

“Where are you?!”

Tugging the phone between them, Hikari said, “We’re nearing the 38th block now. Breathe, Otoya, it’ll-”

**_Beeeeeeeeeep_ **

They blinked at the words on the screen. “No signal?” They chorused, sharing looks and Hikari glanced at hers quickly. 

A sigh of relief escaped her. “At least Tomo-chan got my message. Lines must’ve been messed up by the wind.”

The driver cleared his throat and she glanced at him. “Sir, miss, the weather reports mentioned that this late summer storm may end up messing with the electricity towers, what with all the lightning. And, if I’m not mistaken, we may not get there till morning.”

Following his finger with her eyes, she groaned and slumped against the seat. Tokiya sighed and copied her. “Let’s just hope no one was hurt by the falling debris.”

Looking out at the cars, she muttered. “Well, at least I won’t have to do laundry duty just yet. I hope Ichiro got the cookies to Sayumi-shishou.”

“Sayumi?” Tokiya repeated. “As in Sayumi Kishimura?”

“Mhmm.”

“And she’s… nice?”

Hikari looked at him strangely. “What’s your actual question, Doki-Doki?”

He twitched at the name, but answered. “Hyuga-sensei and Tsukimiya-sensei indicated that she wasn’t a nice person.”

A snicker escaped her. “That’s only them two. She’s nice to us girls and any other students under her care.”

“Then why doesn’t she like them?” He was really curious.

She grinned. “Sayumi-shishou is jealous of how much attention they get.” Seeing his lost expression (Tokiya was rather open when he was tired, she noted), Hikari clarified the situation for him. “Ringo-sensei is a feminine male and catches the eye of both men and women. Ryuya-sensei catches the attention of women and men envy him. Sayumi-shishou doesn’t catch the people’s eye like they do and so she’s jealous.” Another giggle escaped and he eyed her strangely.

“That’s not all.” It wasn’t a question and her shoulders shook with amusement.

“Sayumi-shishou is annoyed with how much trust Saotome-san gives her. She’s been a fan of his and rose to the top in the acting industry, yet he’s practically attached to the idol industry,” she stopped and took a deep breath in, grinning wider at his interested expression. “There’s also a theory in the girls’ dorm saying that she likes them.”

“You think it’s wrong,” Tokiya noted. 

She nodded, trembling with hiding her laughter. “I’m pretty sure she’s interested in the fairer sex.”

His face went blank and she cracked up as his eyes practically screamed ‘System-Shut-Down’. Hikari tried covering her face as she turned away from him. Even the driver seemed stunned, despite trying not to listen.

_ ‘Gossip!’ _ Hikari thought in glee.  _ ‘The one thing that can make or break a person!’ _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mirai Chizu was this song’s chapter, despite not featuring. Accept a gossip session with Tokiya instead! And I tried with the flashback, I really did. But as I’ve never seen someone have a heart attack (and I hope to never), I had to wing it. Same with Tokiya’s near collapse and fainting.
> 
> And Yajima Daiki made an appearance and not just a cameo! I kinda feel he’s underrated since we saw him once, yet for the whole first season, he worked with Tomochika as partners. Plus, they debuted together, why wasn’t he shown at least aside from the island? Not cool. Anyway, before I start ranting...
> 
> Happy birthday, Cecil! And Happy Halloween, guys!


	12. Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

 

“Mmm!” Hikari startled and tugged on Tokiya’s hand, looking at him in bewilderment. His brow was twitching.

“Nanami-baka,” he ignored the way she held a hand to her chest, mock wounded. “If you say one more chicken in the henhouse, I will hurt you, whether or not I like your songs.”

She shook in silent laughter and the driver snickered. Cupping his face, she squished his cheeks and he jerked away, letting her go. “Hey!”

“Then don’t cover my face!” She grinned before letting him go.  _ ‘Operation: Distraction - Success!’ _

Rolling his eyes, Tokiya sat back and rubbed his cheeks. “Please. We have a few hours, let’s try sleeping.” He emphasized the last word.

Her bottom lip pursed out, but he didn’t waver. Slumping, she gave in, but not before tossing her legs over his legs. Tokiya squinted at her, but didn’t shove them off. Both closed their eyes and fell silent…

“What do you think you guys will wear at your debut?”

Tokiya shoved the baseball cap over her face, ordering, “Go. To. Sleep.”

Hikari did so with a quiet chuckle.

* * *

 

_ Moving along the creek at her Gran’s farm, Hikari surveyed the wild flowers. The sound of ducks made her look over and she smiled softly. She knew when the memory was. A few weeks after Haruka’s fifteenth birthday. Their grandmother had taken the slightly older girl to the Shibazakura festival. Hikari had stayed at the farm as it was a gift for Haruka on her good health, not just her birthday. _

_ Lowering into a crouch, Hikari stared at the ducklings surrounding the parent ducks. The parents seemed to be trying to get the tiny minnows in the creek, but couldn’t quite manage it. Glancing back at the house, she retreated to get some bread slices, lead them to a wider area of water. The pond, maybe? _

_ It was slow going, the duck taking their sweet time to nibble on the bread and waddle along. _

_ Hikari paused in pulling out a slice, tilting her head as the ducks suddenly… changed, for lack of a better word. _

_ The mother duck turned pink, glitter suddenly appearing on the feathers, eyes a bright blue color. The father duck turned orange, eyes suddenly a steel blue. _

_ The six ducklings were also changing. The smallest duck, the runt of the flock, was suddenly wearing a hat, a really tiny and adorable fedora. The eyes were a blue, not as bright as the mother’s. There were two blue ducklings, one a bright blue and one a midnight blue. The bright blue had a tuft in front of his left eye. The midnight blue had a tuft across his beak. The largest duck was a bright yellow, spring green eyes, and what appeared to be wire glasses. One was a cherry red with matching red eyes. That one appeared to be energetic just like the runt. The last duck was a mix of yellow and red feathers. He, too, had a tuft near his beak. _

_ “What the hell?” She muttered, the bread sliding from her hands and she backed away, jumping at a yowl. _

_ Whirling on her heels, Hikari watched as the black cat she stepped on suddenly turned hazy. Soon enough, she was blinking into Cecil’s eyes. _

_ “Cecil?” She voiced hesitantly, reaching to poke his cheek. It was human skin and she pulled her hand away, only for him to catch it. Glancing at her carefully, he entwined their fingers, palms pressed together. She squinted at him. “Is this a dream, a communication dream, or just some kind of dream that’s messed up in too many ways to be real?” _

_ He smiled cheekily at her, swinging their hands. “And if I said all three?” _

_ “I’d ask Muse to stop it,” she said dryly, letting him tug her after him. Her eyes lowered to the grass for a moment. “How upset do you think they’ll be? At both of Tokiya and I?” _

_ He hummed lightly before stopping a few feet away, stepping towards the creek after letting her hand go. Cecil eyed the water like it was going to surge up after him. “I’m not sure,” he admitted and smiled softly as she drooped in the grass, her shorts getting crumpled. _

_ Plopping backwards, she groaned. “What help are you?” _

_ Cecil sat beside her. “I think… Tokiya needs to get his feelings across. From what I saw at the Academy, he’s usually composed. Too composed at times,” he trailed off as he looked around. _

_ Pushing up onto her arms, she asked, “What is it?” _

_ His face was full of childish wonder as he looked around. “I grew up in a desert country,” Cecil reminded her. “And the Academy isn’t as green as your farm…” _

_ She tilted her head, considering him. Hikari nodded to herself and stood up, making Cecil glance at her. Holding a hand out, she grinned and shrugged. “Well, if this is a dream memory, why don’t I show you the public knows? I can’t show you the more personal places, of course. Family business secrets and all that.” _

_ Blinking, a small smile formed on his face as he accepted her hand. “Yes, please.” _

_ “Right, well, this is obviously the creek. Ruka-chan and I usually would watch the frogs come out in the summer. Past the horse stables, where we’ve only got a few mares and stallions, we have the forest. I kept disappearing in there so much my family invested in a tracker when I was late for dinner so many times…” _

* * *

 

Tomochika rubbed her face and Daiki patted her arm, offering a small comforting smile as the boys of Hikari’s group complained about Tokiya not telling them about ‘Hayato’ and why he was debuting with them a second time. The radio and TV had announced it that morning.

_ She was so done with them. _

With an uncharacteristic yell, Tomochika had them shutting up and looking at her in surprise. Daiki was slowly shifting out of her way as she scowled at the group. Jabbing a finger at Syo, she asked, “What do you know about Tokiya Ichinose?” When the small blond furrowed his brows, she added, “And I mean Tokiya Ichinose,  _ not  _ Hayato!”

Syo’s anger dissipated into confusion as he stared at her. “Ah… we’re in S-Class together? And we’re auditioning together.”

He didn’t seem to have anymore to say so she turned to the others, crossing her arms and raising her brows. “What about the rest of you?”

The other four shared looks, Ren turning away from the window fully.

“He has a strict diet,” Natsuki offered the frustrated girl warily. “Tokiya doesn’t seem to like sweets much, either.”

“Icchi is a no nonsense kind of person,” Ren added.

Otoya nodded at that. “Tokiya is also private. In our room he only has the basics plus things needed for the idol course.”

“Ichinose always would always come here after working as Hayato,” Masato noted slowly. His eyes moved around the room. “I saw when he was in A-Class, he put everything into his work and with precision, and I assume he did the same in S-Class?”

Syo and Ren nodded when the blue haired teen looked at them. 

“Everything Ichinose does has a purpose behind it,” Masato concluded. “He wouldn’t have joined us without one.”

“She gave him one,” Daiki blurted out and squeaked as they all turned to stare at him. Shrinking further behind Tomochika, he continued nervously. “Hikari-san, I mean. To-Tomo-chan said yesterday that Hikari-san was with Ichinose-san. Hikari-san must’ve found out about him and Hayato, which is shy she’s with him.” Tomochika squeezed his hand reassuringly.

“That does sound like her...” Otoya trailed off as Syo asked no one, “Then why didn’t she tell us?”

“Have either of them called or messaged?” Masato asked abruptly. Tomochika glanced at her phone, Otoya copying her.

“Tokiya called last night, but the call disconnected,” Otoya said as he looked through his phone and shook his head at Masato.

“Hikari messaged and when I tried replying, it wasn’t received,” she mentioned and shook her head, too.

“D-did either one say where they were at the time?” Daiki questioned. She shook her head again.

“It was the 38th block,” Otya answered. They watched as the brunet pulled his phone out and Tomochika peered at his phone as he typed in the search bar.

She blinked. “The telephone lines along the 38th block roads were knocked down?”

Daiki nodded slowly as he pushed up his glasses. “And this line being down here…” he pointed at it and the others came closer to look. “That means that Saotome is isolated because of the storm. I asked Tsukimiya-sensei what would happen if a typhoon hit and he said Headmaster Shining had installed lines so we could still call the other buildings here and have extra generators.”

“You think the storm knocked out the lines?” Ren asked, eyeing Daiki.

“The news did mention that there was fallen debris on one of the main roads, but Syo-chan was in a rush to get here,” Natsuki said and smiled sheepishly at the frowning blond.

Syo shrugged at the looks. “I thought they’d be back. I don’t usually listen to the news…”

They were silent for a moment before Ren said slowly, “Don’t think I missed how you changed the subject from Ochibi’s question, Hijiri.”

Masato frowned at him. “You make it sound like I did it on purpose. I believe it was already answered it before he asked, anyway.” 

Syo and Ren blinked at him, one confused and one unimpressed.

Sighing, Masato repeated himself. “Yajima said Hikari may have found out about Ichinose. Hikari is related to two different celebrities, along with former ones. She would not have sold Ichinose out because she understands how the paparazzi loves getting into the lives of those in the entertainment business.”

**_^V^_ **

Tapping the piano keys blankly, Tomochika blinked at the soft thump. Lifting and turning her head, she blinked. “Sayumi-shishou?”

The woman smiled slightly at her. “Yajima-kun told me you were here when I noticed you weren’t at lunch and dinner. Tsukimiya also mentioned how you missed class.”

The teen stared in shock. “What time is it?”

“A little past 7:30,” Sayumi answered and held up a large container. “I got you a huge thing of onigiri. Nanami managed to get a little service around 3:00 and told me she and Ichinose were stopping to eat and it would be late when they got back due to traffic. Apparently, they’re coming back from the Minato Ward.” The woman was clearly unimpressed with her student’s lack of forethought, but understood they couldn’t take a plane due to the storm.

Opening her mouth to reply, she was distracted by her phone buzzing. Opening the message, she blinked and looked hesitantly at Sayumi, who raised a brow. Beginning to sweat at the woman’s stare, Tomochika looked at the message. “Ah, Hikari just said they’re here, but near the sheep flock as there are paparazzi at the main gate…”

Sayumi squinted at her before sighing. “Go meet them. I’ll inform Tsukimiya and Hyuga if they don’t already know. I’ll stop by the commons to put this away, too.”

Tomochika grinned at her. “Thank you, shishou!” She stood up and fixed her long socks.

“Go away.” She could see the woman’s cheeks pink and hurried away before she giggled.

* * *

 

_ “Why exactly are you helping me so much?” Hikari asked Cecil as they made their way back to the main farm areas. _

_ “Mmm…. because your a good person?” He tried and she shot him a look. A sigh left him and he scratched the back of his head. “The Muse… she leads those who worship her to those who will assist the worshippers. She lead me to you, Hikari.” _

_ Stopping him near the pond, she crossed her arms and leaned forward. “You’re not telling me everything.” _

_ It wasn’t a question, but Cecil nodded hesitantly. “The Muse takes good care of her worshippers. Depending on the person, she can lead them to the one who will lead them to either success, prosperity, family, or…” He faltered and cleared his throat. “O-or love.” _

_ She tilted her head, considering. “I’m guessing she gives hints as to what she’s leading her worshippers to?” _

_ Cecil nodded and kept his eyes on the pond. _

_ Hikari stared at him then rolled her eyes. “Don’t be such a squid, Cecil. I’m not going to ask what she’s leading to you-” ‘Though I could guess from your blush’ “- so chill out.” _

_ The boy looked at her nervously. “Really?” _

_ “Mhmm. Although,” she stepped closer and grabbed a hold of his short. He got a wary, yet still slightly flustered look on his face. “If you keep something like this about the Muse from me again…” _

_ Cecil yowled in shock as she abruptly spun him towards the pond. He flailed and she couldn’t be sure if he was trying to push away from the water or grab ahold of her. “Hikari, stop it!” _

_ “Promise you’ll never keep something about the Muse from me again!” She half-scolded, half-asked. “Promise!” _

_ “Promise, promise!” He latched onto her arms and she spun them once more and let them fall to the grass, grinning. She blinked as the dream scene began to brighten. Cecil made a noise. “Ah, you’re waking up.” _

_ Moving to hover over him, she squished his face. “Cecil, remember this sequence!” She rattled off her number. “Call me if you can get the chance! _

_ Her grandmother’s farm and Cecil faded away. _

* * *

 

Hikari squinted as she blinked her eyes rapidly. Shifting the hat and knocking it off, she stretched her legs and removed them from Tokiya’s lap. “Where are we?” She asked groggily and rubbed her face.

Tokiya picked up the hat and put it on, sliding a scarf around his neck to hide the lower part of his face. “A soup restaurant,” his muffled voice answered. “The driver, Satoshi-san, mentioned it since it’s been a while since we last ate.”

“Arigato, Satoshi-san,” she mumbled and nearly tripped as she exited the taxi.

Satoshi, an older man with salt and pepper hair, caught her by her arm and steadied her. “You’re welcome, miss. The Wabi restaurant has been used by many taxi drivers and their customers on long rides. I thought since where you implied what your school was, it would be best with the healthy soups and privacy screens.”

The teens nodded in understanding, thanking him once more, and followed him in. Hikari brightened after they entered and she spotted the screen displaying the dishes. “They have harumaki spring rolls!”

“Don’t eat too many and forget you soup,” Tokiya warned her absently and she pouted up at him.

“Don’t be such a Charley horse, Doki-Doki,” she scolded and bounced ahead of them, swiftly placing her order. “Can I please get a entree of harumaki spring rolls, a bowl of kenchin-jiru, and a pitcher of sencha tea?”

The woman stared in surprise but quickly nodded. “Of course. Do you and your party want a privacy booth or table?” At Hikari’s ‘privacy booth’, the woman pointed behind her to the left. “That would be booth 10. Is there anything else? Dessert?”

Hikari scanned the board again, not having noticed the dessert. “A small chestnut bun, please.”

“A server will come after.” She accepted the money Hikari passed her and gave the teen the sencha tea pitcher and three glasses after Satoshi and Tokiya told her they wanted the same.

She moved quickly, but carefully with the hot pitcher and set it down, sitting on the more visible side, knowing she wasn’t as famous as Tokiya was. Luckily, Satoshi noticed and had Tokiya go in the seat first.

“The woman said it’d be a few minutes since they don’t have many other customers,” Satoshi informed her as he settled in his seat, making sure to block Tokiya.

Hikari nodded and looked through her phone, bouncing in glee as she saw she had service, no matter how weak. She swiftly typed and sent a message to Sayumi. “I’ve told Sayumi-shishou what’s going on,” she told her classmate.

Tokiya nodded as he glanced at his own phone. She could see him grimace behind his scarf. “My phone is dead.  I must’ve forgotten to charge it.”

She snickered. “What an amateur mistake,” Hikari teased and glanced at Satoshi. “We’re not keeping you from your family are we?”

The man shook his head. “My wife took the grandkids to see their maternal great-grandparents.”

Smiling in relief, she opened an app on her phone. Hikari could feel the urge to bounce, but ignored it as she began playing ‘Fruit Ninja’, the only game she had without internet. Across from her, Satoshi and Tokiya were discussing their estimated time of arrival at the Academy, even discussing where to go to avoid the main gates.

**V^V**

Hopping over the fence, Hikari turned and waved at Satoshi as he drove away. “Wonder if his company accepts full-time customers?” She wondered as she followed Tokiya through the grass, messaging Tomochika real quick.

“I don’t know. Did you get the company name?” He glanced down at her.

Nodding, she said, “I did. Think I should ask them tomorrow?”

“Yes. Satoshi-san was surprisingly nice,” Tokiya noted as they hopped over yet another fence, this time closer to a path. “Not to mention how willing he was to cover for me.”

“I wonder if my family knows about that company,” she mumbled before perking up. “Oh, by the way, can I see your bag?”

Tokiya stopped walking and looked at her in confusion. “Why?”

She didn’t answer, simply making grabby hands. Eyeing her warily, he passed the bag over then deadpanned as she pulled a folder out. 

“Seriously?” He took the bag back with an exasperated air.

Plucking the sticky note from it, she shoved it in her pocket and held the folder to her chest. Hikari shrugged at him as they began walking over the bridge. “I went for discreet today and left my bag in the dorm.”

They came to a halt as they stopped at the end of the bridge. Tokiya lifted his bag up and down. “I think that’s why it was heavy.”

Hikari laughed and looked around, absently noticing a dove flying towards the lake area. “So, you good now? You’ll be going straight to sleep and resting properly?”

His lip quirked up. “I will,” he assured her. “But before that, I need to speak with the others…”

“If you explain fully to them, I’m sure they’ll understand,” she told him with a small smile.

“That’s surprisingly optimistic of you, Lady.”

They blinked at each other before turning. Ren was leading their friends to the end of the bridge. Otoya and Syo behind on either side, Natsuki on the other side of Syo and Masato and Tomochika were to Otoya’s left. Their faces were serious and Tomochika looked both relieved and worried.

Ren cut straight to the point. “Why didn’t you tell us? And I want to hear it from you, Tokiya, not the Lady.”

Hikari let her eyes flick between the two, settling on the others as she conspicuously pressed her arm against Tokiya’s.

Said teen was closing his eyes and bowing. “I’m sorry,” he began but Syo cut him off.

“Cut the crap!” Syo burst out, fists clenching tight. “Unlike you, we’re seriously trying to make our debuts here! Everything is riding on Hikari’s song! We put everything we’ve got into it! Can you understand that?!”

“I’m sorry,” Tokiya repeated firmly before straightening. “I’ve hidden the fact that I was Hayato, came to this Academy, lied to all of you, and caused many problems and worries. Please forgive me.” His arm pressed against hers slightly before pulling away.

He gave a full 90 degree bow to the group, just like the one she had given him months ago.

“My agency wasn’t pushing my singing career, I intended to give it all up and start over here. But I didn’t follow through completely which has caused trouble for all of you. Yet, one thing’s for sure… I should sing the songs just as they are. The words spoken to me… they gave me hope!” Tokiya straightened, face wary. “Please, let me sing together with you, all of you! There’s nothing false about the way I feel… onegaishimasu.”

“Together?” Ren echoed haughtily. “Can we trust you? You say this to us now, after all this time… ‘Each of us believe we can sing her songs the best.’ Were your words a lie?”

“I admit, I felt that way before,” Tokiya said and raised his head fully. “But I’ve changed! Hikari’s idea, her vision, touched me! She just wanted us to sing! She didn’t care about if it was just one person or-or who was the best out of all of us. I get it now… meeting people like you is something that happens once in a lifetime! I’ve finally got somewhere I can sing without worry!”

Hikari shoved the burning in her eyes down, focusing on Tokiya with a calm look as he broke his composure for the first time in who knows how long.

He turned to her and spoke honestly. “There’s something I’ve wanted to say for a long time. I love your songs.” She was stunned by the depth of his honesty. “Please, let me sing your songs!”

Blinking rapidly, she could only nod. “Of course!”

A gentle smile formed on his face. “Thank you.”

“So…” Ren’s voice made them look over. She could see Tomochika, Otoya, and Natsuki smiling. Masato and Ren’s faces were blank and Syo was scowling slightly. It got deeper after Ren finished, a slight smile on his face now. “Are we finally at the starting line?”

Hikari could hear Syo mutter beneath his breath and promptly, snatched Tokiya’s bag away and sidestepped, ignoring the confusion on his face.

“And it’s wrapped up all like that, is it…?” He lunged and she winced as Syo caught him in a chokehold. “Damn you, Tokiya! I don’t forgive you!”

She startled as Otoya took away Tokiya’s bag, cheerfully ignoring the Syo-Tokiya banter. He tossed an arm around her shoulder and held his free arm up in the air. “Alright! Let’s rehearse for the audition, Hikari!”

Slowly shaking her head, she wrapped an around around his waist and grinned at the others coming up. “Un! I want to hear our song by the people I love! I can’t think of anything else I’d need!”

He squeezed her to his side and she ducked her head as the others brightened and shared grins. Her cheeks felt warm and she’d never felt so cheesy, not even with her family (and Haruka, stars, that girl was  _ made  _ of cheese). “Let’s do this!” Otoya cheered, making them bounce and she laughed slipping free and steadying the folder.

An impish grin formed on Tomochika’s face as she nudged Otoya’s other arm. “Getting a bit fired up, don’t you think?”

Otoya made a face at her while the others laughed. “Throwback, Tomo-chan? Didn’t think you did that.”

The darker redheaded girl simply laughed then glanced at Tokiya as she caught Hikari’s hand, tugging her close to loop their arms. “Tokiya-kun, I was worried that you’d be beat up for a moment there!”

“Tokiya-kun?” He repeated her in confusion as Syo stretched his arms overhead, saying, “It could’ve turned out that way, ne?”

Hikari hid a chuckle at Tokiya’s bemused face. Their heads turned upwards as lights began appearing across the Academy area. Spotlights, to be specific. “How much did this cost?” She wondered aloud as Saotome began cackling his laugh over hidden speakers.

_ “Hello, everybody, and good evening!” _ He boomed.  _ “Tonight, I have some huge wonderful news!” _

She shared confused and bewildered looks with her friends, the beams switching between green and pink, squares forming between the two colors as they lit up the night sky.

_ “So, come on! Get into the spotlight, you great princes!” _

_ ‘Princes?’  _ She thought.

An ‘O’ formed on her lips as her friends appeared in the sky. More specifically, Otoya, Masato, Natsuki, Syo, Ren, and Tokiya. Blinking, she goggled at her actual friends and not the pictures.

_ “Tonight, my Shining Academy brings to you… a brand new idol group with 1000% love… The name…? STARISH!” _

Tomochika was the one who snapped them out of their shock, shaking Hikari slightly. “What are you guys waiting for?!” The girl cried, releasing Hikari and began shoving at them. “Go get some clarification! I’ll meet up with you after!”

The others shared looks and began moving.

**_^V^_ **

“Headmaster, what does this mean?” Otoya blurted out, not greeting the man properly.

Natsuki added, “Does this mean we’re going to get a debut…?”

“But we haven’t had a graduation audition yet,” Syo continued.

Hikari clutched the folder as she stared at the man as he spun slowly in his chair away from the teens. “Audition?” 

Her brow twitched as Saotome began cackling like some kind of mad scientist.

“You guys pass.” She blinked rapidly at his words. “The first time I heard your song… “This group can heat up the country!” is what I felt. When inspiration hits me, it’s never off base. I didn’t count on the plan being moved up so soon, that happens quite a bit in business. It isn’t a problem at all!”

She jumped slightly as he spun around abruptly, pointing a finger at them.

“Right now, Mr. Ichinose is drawing a lot of attention, making this your very big chance! There’s no way I’ll let this opportunity slip by!”

Hikari turned to look at her friends with wide eyes. Her boys were going to debut?

“We’re going to debut?” Otoya repeated in awed shock.

“I still don’t believe it,” Syo admitted but grinned wildly. “But I’m still psyched!”

“Yeah!” Natsuki agreed.

“With all six of us, I’m sure it’ll go well,” Masato added calmly.

“Plus Hikari,” Ren added and she looked up at him as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, Otoya squeezing her free arm lightly.

“Seven including her,” Tokiya said, smiling.

Blinking, she tilted her head and nodded, smiling shyly. “I’ll do my best, give you as much as you’ll need.” She faltered when Saotome cut in.

“Sorry.”

Otoya’s hand fell from her shoulder and they turned to look at him, perplexed. “Miss Nanami… you cannot participate in this project.”

Her brows furrowed in confusion. “Eh?”

“For the song of their debut concert, we’re gonna go-go-go with a pro tunesmith!”

Pressing his arm against hers, Otoya asked warily, “What do you mean, headmaster?”

The lights dimmed and a screen dropped off to the side, making them glance  back at it. The world swayed beneath her feet when she recognized the man on the screen and she was grateful Ren had an arm around her.

“Headmaster!” Tokiya exclaimed, having recognized him as well. “Don’t tell me it’s…”

“Takeshi Fujita?” She said, dazed.

“That’s right!” Saotome crowed and she turned back to him, still relying on Ren’s arm. “The million hit songster who’s won a mad number of awards… The melodist who’s writing the most powerful music in Japan right now, Takeshi Fujita… and I’ve asked him to write your debut song!”

“B-but!” Otoya tried protesting.

Syo shook his head from beside Ren. “Wait a second!”

Saotome simply laughed. “This man is called the “God of Composition”. If we leave it to him, there’s no doubt we’ll have a huge hit on our hands!”

_ ‘Takeshi Fujita…’ _ Hikari thought in stunned silence.  _ ‘He’s even made visits to Europe and America, it’s why Byeong-su-samchon and Chanyeol-samchon even decided to tour the U. S., using Dong-hae-yah’s wish as an excuse, not matter how much they try to deny it. Oyaji tried having him write a song for Aunty Renge once, but it fell through.’ _

“So what?!” Syo exclaimed.

“The key to success for this project is intense impact,” Saotome informed them, sitting back down. “And while Miss Nanami certainly possesses interesting talent and character, there is a reason I went easy about her exams.”

He didn’t expand on it, instead simply continuing like he hadn’t baffled her.

“Your efforts have exceeded expectations, Miss Nanami. But this is a different story. Miss Nanami…”

He leaned forward and suddenly Ren’s arm felt like lead around her neck, leaving her to simply stare at him wordlessly. “Can you write a song that can surpass the God of Composition’s?”

She froze, unsure of what he was getting at, then she comprehended his words fully and felt like the earth had left her in the air.

* * *

 

**_No song this chapter. I hope the dream part was okay in place of Haruka’s from the episode? Well, the duck part, anyway. I kinda liked writing that part. And with that said, have an omake that could have happened! (this couldn't really go in the end notes with the omake)_ **

OMAKE:

Hikari squinted at him and Tokiya was a bit unnerved by it. The last time she had stared at him like that, she’d hugged him, and while he wasn’t necessarily against being hugged, he wasn’t exactly used to it.

Out loud, he called for her. “Hikari? Is something wrong-”

He froze as she reached out and ran her fingers through his bangs. She blinked slowly and tugged on the strands lightly. Tokiya could hear Satoshi chuckling faintly, but he was too surprised to do anything.

“No feathers…” 

Blinking, he frowned, not liking how lost he felt. “Feathers?”

She blinked at him, her own lost expression on her face. “You don’t have feathers in your hair.”

“Why would I have feathers in my hair?” Tokiya wondered.

“You were a duck,” she said slowly, pulling her legs off his at last.

“A duck.” He gave her a flat look and she blushed, scowling as she shoved the hat at him.

“Don’t feel too privileged,” she huffed as she slid from the car, him copying her on the other side. “Otoya, Masato, Natsuki, Syo, and Ren were also ducks. I think Ringo-sensei and Ryuya-sensei were the mom and dad ducks respectively…”

He raised a brow at her slightly horrified expression. “What’s wrong?”

“Ringo-sensei was a really pretty duck.” She sounded both horrified and awed and he couldn’t help chuckling. “It’s not funny! He’s a man, he shouldn’t be that pretty! Doki-Doki, stop laughing!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt like I had to come up with an explanation on why Cecil kept popping up in the first season. I mean, the whole in love with Haruka thing was iffy, because it was just... weird, for lack of a better word (or stalker-like, but schemantics). I hope it fits well with the plot.
> 
> See you next time!


	13. Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH
> 
> Warning: Bad Language

 

Hikari stared at Saotome with wide eyes, chest barely moving as she tried to take in the fact that Saotome had practically challenged her to make a song more popular than Takeshi Fujita’s. 

His head tilted oh so slightly. “Can you?” He asked her once more… and she couldn’t answer. She didn’t know how.  _ How the fuck could she when it was fucking Takeshi Fujita?! _

“Aren’t you just happy to listen to them singing?” She blinked, realizing he must have been watching earlier. “Are you just a fan?”

“A-a fan?” She repeated. The sticky note began burning a hole in her pocket, the folder like deadweight in her arms. 

“Eventually, STARISH will have lots of fans. But you’re not a fan, you’re a composer.” His sunglasses gleamed in the overhead light. “Do you have the heart of a pro?”

She couldn’t understand what he was getting at. He knew she knew about the idol lifestyle thanks to the Ripplers, no matter how second hand the information was. Stars knew how many paparazzi member had tried to visit the farm until Gran terrorized the lot of them, tricking the animals into making the reporters and the like run away when the Ripplers were there. Hikari just didn’t understand what Saotome’s aim was.

Saotome seemed to notice but ignored it as he lifted his face towards the ceiling. “I cannot leave the fate of STARISH in your hands!”

Her eyes widened in shock. The folder got heavier.

“What?” Otoya exclaimed, brushing her arm as he leaned forward.

“Headmaster, we want to sing Hikari’s songs!” Tokiya protested.

Syo snapped out, “After all this time, it has to be her!”

“No, no…” Saotome shook his head, hands held up. “Pros will sing no matter who wrote the songs.”

She couldn’t take it anymore. “Like you with Kotomi-san?” He jerked and she bet his eyes were wide behind the glasses. Hikari nodded and slipped free from Ren, leaning to put the folder on the desk. “I thought so. Congratulations, Shining-san. Hurt the mentioned and I’ll break you with pleasure.”

Stepping away, she ignored his shocked silence and moved past the confused boys, saying over her shoulder, “Let’s go, boys. Shining-san needs to understand something from 17 years ago.”

They were confused, but with the sticky note still burning in her pocket, she wouldn’t answer unless he decided to come out with it himself.

**_-AA-_ **

Tomochika pressed against her shoulder as they stood by the fountain in front of the faculty building. “That was so cruel of the headmaster,” Tomochika voiced and she leaned slightly into the slightly taller girl. “You all got together in the first place because of Hikari's song.”

“Without Hikari, we wouldn’t have become a group,” Masato agreed from beside Otoya.

“Dammit! He can’t be serious!” Syo snapped, scowling hard at the ground.

“If we’re not doing the Lady’s songs, I’m out,” Ren said plainly.

Hikari blinked at him, eyes shifting to Otoya. “Me too!” The redhead exclaimed.

Syo nodded, glancing at Otoya. “There isn’t going to be a debut without Nanami!”

“Don’t be stupid.”

The two faltered, looking at her in surprise. “Hikari?” Syo voiced.

She looked them over coolly. “You saw the lights, didn’t you? And his announcement about you all becoming STARISH - I have no doubt he’s already announced it in the city. If you refuse to debut, it’ll ruin the agency’s reputation.”

“What are you saying, Hikari?” Syo stood up, fists clenching as he frowned at her. “You-”

“I’m one of three potential heirs to the Nami Agency,” she said flatly. “Which means I know exactly how the entertainment business works. If you all don’t debut now, you may never get another chance. I can wait a little longer for my own debut.”

Looking around, she jerked her head towards Tokiya. “Neither I nor Tokiya have had anything to eat since 3:00 and it’s almost 8:30 now. Let’s reconvene in the morning, alright? I can still help out with your practice.”

The girl was careful to keep a cool look on her face as her friends looked at her uncertainly.

**_-AA-_ **

Blinking up at her ceiling, Hikari wondered what woke her before lolling her head to the side,reaching for the silent vibrating form of her phone. She unlocked it after checking the screen was dim.

**From: The Big Boss Lady** **  
** _ ‘Hikari, love, I’m sorry for messaging you so early, but I need your help.’ _

Squinting at the phone, Hikari went through a few scenarios before messaging back.

**From: The Baby Animal**   
_ ‘Forest, farm, or water?’ _

Hikari sat up and slid off her bed, forgoing her slippers as she moved to gather a bag after she received a simple ‘Forest, indigo’ back.  _ ‘Really good thing Tomo-chan made me get gloves… where are my boots?’ _

A quick change of clothes and she was rushing quietly down the hall, a note in hand for Sayumi. Reaching the door, she slid the paper between the door and the frame, knowing Sayumi would see it one way or another.

That done, she hurried to the main entrance and tugged her boots on. “At least it isn’t raining anymore…” Hikari hurried to the main entrance, waving at the guards as she headed to the car her grandmother had sent. Sliding in, she greeted the driver beside her. “Yo, Ichiro-senpai.”

“Hey, shrimp. Ready?” The bald man asked, peering at her through the mirror. At her nod, he pulled away and began driving. “We got time for the scenic route?”

“Gran said indigo…” She shrugged as she shifted her bag into her backseat.

“So unless we get a message from her, that’s a yes,” Ichiro concluded before swearing. “Damn sheep! Move your furry ass!”

Hikari carefully turned her face away, lips twitching. “You know, women actually like sheep for how cute and fluffy they are.”

“Shut up, Hikari.”

A snicker escaped and he pinched her arm, earning a yelp. “Rude!”

* * *

 

Daiki hurried after Tomochika, worried for Hikari, but not as worried as Tomochika. His partner had told him about last night as she rushed around looking for Hikari in the usual places.

At the moment, she was running (literally running; at one point she’d nearly ran down Ringo) to the practice room the newest idol group was in. 

Seeing her skid to a stop, he wilted against the wall, wheezing for air. She tossed the door open with a slight banging noise and rushed in.

“Tomo-chan?” Otoya’s voice floated through and Daiki heaved himself into a standing position, practically floating after the girl. The redheaded male noticed him, frowning. “Daiki-san, are you okay?”

Was he okay? He didn’t know enough about the human body to be sure, but he figured it was bad if he couldn’t fully feel his legs. Externally, he sort of flailed a hand and slumped into a chair near the door to wiggle his feet, still panting slightly as he watched Tomochika interrogate the other males.

“None of you have seen Hikari at all?” She asked, pacing as she looked around the room.

“Hikari?” Ichinose repeated, brows furrowing slightly as he glanced between Tomochika and Daiki. “We haven’t seen her since yesterday, why?”

Tomochika shifted and Daiki finally managed to catch his breath, standing and moving closer to where the to-be idols were. “Tomo-chan said she wasn’t there when she woke up,” Daiki answered. “We also checked the other places Hikari-san is usually at, but she wasn’t there either.”

The teens frowned and shared concerned and confused looks.

Clearing his throat, Daiki continued, casting a nervous sideways look at Tomochika. “Should we ask the teachers? I know Tomo-chan almost ran Ringo-sensei down a bit ago.”

They stared at the duo and she glanced at Daiki, her worry fading to confusion. “I did?”

“Didn’t you notice his hair?” Daiki looked back at her in confusion.

She shook her head. “No, I didn’t.”

“Does that mean I can still expect an apology?” They turned to see Ringo in the doorway, arms folded as he stared flatly at Tomochika, who shifted on her feet. Ryuya was right behind him, looking at the group with a raised eyebrow.

“Sorry, sensei,” Tomochika said sheepishly. “I was in a hurry looking for Hikari.”

“Hikari-chan?” Ringo blinked as he walked in, Ryuya also gaining a small frown. “Is she not here?”

“Obviously not,” a voice cut in, drawling slowly from the doorway. Ringo and Ryuya stepped further away from the teens as Sayumi walked in, a paper in one hand and the other….

“Ah… Sayumi-shishou?” Tomochika stepped towards the woman once, a hand held out as she hesitated.

The woman smiled coolly at the girl, her grey eyes calm despite the fact her other hand was wound in Saotome’s red hair, tightly from the wince on his face. “Idiot-Shining is here to explain why he was such an asshole to Nanami yesterday.” The paper went up in the air. “And this is a note from said girl. There was an emergency at her grandmother’s, so she had to leave. Nanami did leave a number, though, and it’s different from her usual cellphone.”

“Can you call her?” Tomochika rushed out, stepping closer as she pressed her palms flat together.

Sayumi side-eyed Saotome. “If I let you go, will you run?”

“No.” Saotome rushed out.

Humming, she slowly let him go, reaching into her jacket pocket for her phone and said absently, “If you do, I’ll post nude pictures of you online.”

Saotome gaped down at her, his hands frozen in mid movement through his hair.

The actress smirked slightly and held the phone out. Sayumi glanced at the male teachers, who were staring at her warily. “Can one of you close the door? And none of you speak, she left the number specifically for me.” She gave the students a firm stare, waiting till they all nodded and Ryuya had shut the door to dial and put the phone on speaker.

_ Ring Ring Ring _

There was a click. “Hello?” Hikari’s voice seemed slightly muffled.

“Nanami,” Sayumi greeted. “Shibuya is running around terrorizing people and Yajima is being dragged with her. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”

A beat. “You mean I didn’t message her? I could’ve sworn I wrote a text…”

Sayumi raised a brow at the phone. “Did you press send?”

A quick glance from the woman had Tomochika pulling her phone out. The redheaded girl shook her head silently and Daiki could see that Hikari hadn’t sent a message since the day before.

“Well, crap,” Hikari said and sighed through the phone. “Shishou, could you tell her I’m sorry? I really meant to message her.” 

“I will,” Sayumi said easily and wiggled her free hand at Tomochika, who nodded with a sheepish smile.

“Uh, not to be rude, shishou,” Daiki tilted his head at the sudden nervousness in Hikari’s voice. “But was that all? I kinda- OH MY STARS, STOP IT!”

They all jumped at the shriek coming from the phone and Sayumi put the phone on a chair, tugging it in the middle of the group as Hikari continued shrieking.

“STOP FUCKING PECKING ME! SHITTY FEATHER DUSTERS, LEAVE ME ALONE!” Something similar to a wounded cat’s yowl came over the line followed by air rushing through the speaker and then a loud crack.

Ichinose made a noise. “Did it hang up?

Sayumi shook her head just as there was a new noise over the line.

“Bu-bu-bucaaaawk.”  _ Tap tap tap _

“STOP FUCKING FOLLOWING ME!” Hikari wailed.

“... chicken?” Otoya muttered. “Doesn’t her grandmother have a farm?”

Tomochika nodded wordlessly.

**_-AA-_ **

Hikari bolted to the fence, wincing at the cracking noise the phone made when it connected with the wooden frame of the chicken pen. Launching and scrambling up the fence, Hikari let go and fell into the pile of hay. She stared up at the sky before releasing a huge breath of air and groaned. “At least I got all the chickens out of the forest.”

Wrestling out of the pile, she stumbled her way back to the farmhouse and removed the long and thick leather gloves. Hikari sat on the porch and kicked off the thigh high boots. Standing up on the wooden surface, she slid her slippers on and made her way inside. “Gran! I got your shitty chickens back in the pen!”

The laugh she got in response brought a small smile to her face at the familiarity and she walked into the kitchen, bouncing slightly at the sight of the veggie harumaki rolls, watermelon slices on a platter beside the rolls.

Aiko turned away from the fridge and placed a pitcher of lemon water on the table. “Go ahead and take a break. We’ll take on the fields afterwards.”

Beaming, Hikari crowed as she snatched up a few rolls. “Don’t mind if I do!”

A cooing noise sounded from behind her and she swallowed just in time to get squished against her grandfather’s front, nearly dropping the food. “Oyaji!”

“Teruki,” Aiko addressed the man in a scolding tone. “If you make Hikari drop her food, I’ll let her go after your stash.”

Teruki gasped in shock and reeled away from the girl, toppling onto a nearby stool. “Darling, that’s rude!”

Hikari’s shoulders shook as she snagged a plate, the elderly couple bantering playfully with each other. Teruki was trying to weedle out the location of her Aiko’s double chocolate chip cookies as he set out glasses and pouring the water. The older woman was easily ignoring his attempts, putting away some of the fruits.

“Ne, Kari?” She looked up from her mandarine to her grandfather, head tilting. “After the fieldwork is done, will you play one of your songs from the Academy?”

She blinked, but nodded with a swallow. “Sure. Did you want to hear the one with the boys singing or just on the piano?”

“The piano,” Aiko swiftly replied and smiled sweetly at her pouting husband. “We can always buy the CD when it comes out, but we can’t hear it only on the piano.”

Another nod. “I can do that.”

Teruki hummed as he stole a roll from her, earning a scowl. “So what do you plan to do with Saotome?”

A slow, mischievous smile made its way onto her lips. “I’m going to show him why it’s not a good thing to mess with a greedy person.”

Aiko eyed her. “Don’t break anything. We won’t pay for it.”

“Of course not!” She pouted at the older, unphased woman. “I’m not like Shiori-nee or Kai-baka!”

“Mhmm.”

“Gran!”

* * *

 

Otoya bounced off the train, getting out of his group mates’ ways. “She’s really okay with six strangers coming over?” He asked Ren curiously.

The strawberry blond nodded as he got off, the others behind him. “Yes, Aiko-san is alright with it…” He trailed off, blinking. Otoya tilted his head at the uncertain look on his face. “Should I be addressing her as grandmother?”

The redhead shrugged, slightly bemused. “I wouldn’t know,” he said honestly.

“Ask her first,” Natsuki offered as the rest got off the train and began making their way to where they needed to go to get to the Nanami farm.

Masato peered at the directions with a frown. “Nanami-san said when we get off the train, we have to take a bus to an outpost, then walk the rest of the way. She said her husband will take us back to the station.”

“Husband,” Syo echoed before looking at Otoya. “Isn’t that Hikari’s Oyaji?”

They stopped and stared at each other for a moment. Tokiya slowly raised his hand, deadpanning, “We should let Ren meet him first.”

“What?” The strawberry blond looked at him in confusion just as Syo and Otoya nodded, faces serious.

“We can sacrifice him to the craziness first,” Otoya said.

Syo added, “Shiori-senpai said their Oyaji was the worst out of all of them.”

“Don’t I get a say in this?” Ren cut in, staring flatly at the two.

Said two looked at their other friends before they all chorused, “No.”

They snickered at Ren’s exasperated, “Why am I friends with you?”

He scowled at their snickers and smiles before making his way to the bus terminal area.

Otoya shared a wicked grin with Syo, whispering, “We should take the back of the bus if it’s free and stick him in the middle.”

The blond’s shoulders shook. “Hikari’s rubbed off on us too much.” They hurried, neatly sliding their bus passes through the scanner and hurrying Ren to the back, ignoring his protests as they sat him down, squishing him between the two.

“This is very uncomfortable,” the strawberry blond complained. “Why’re you picking on me?” He gave them a sulky look.

Sharing glances, they tossed their arms around him and smooshed their cheeks together, beaming. “We love Ren!” They cooed simply and said teen sighed in exasperation.

“Why do I deal with you two?” He muttered and they snickered.

**_-AA-_ **

Sitting at the piano, Hikari ran her fingers down the keys before beginning the melody for Maji Love 1000%. She could hear the faint tapping of her grandmother and grandfather as the beat played out.

Teruki whistled. “That’s the song the gaki is having them debut? It’s brilliant, Kari.”

Aiko hummed in agreement. “What exactly did you plan for Saotome-san?”

Her fingers ran through the melody of her  _ “Hey, Brother” _ and she pursed her lips. “Nothing, actually. I was just going to tell him he’d pay for trying to prevent me from being their songwriter and drive him nuts for a while trying to figure out my plan.”

The old man let out a cackle. “That’s my grandbaby! Now, what was the second song for them?”

“Well…” She began playing it, a wide grin coming to her face as six voices joined it.

**“Thousands of times crossed over,** **  
** **this one melody** **  
** **is like knowing today…**

**We'll be…** **  
** **My inner heart,** **  
** **Maybe…** **  
** **make it shine** **  
** **We’ll make your happiness with the lamp of constellations** **  
** **And then** **  
** **I want to convey it always** **  
** **Let’s be together** **  
** **I want to believe** **  
** **in our future**

**“Because you’re not alone, right?”** **  
** **Envelop us** **  
** **Let us protect you** **  
** **Truly, you are…** **  
** **resounding within our hearts**

**With you, the names of the notes** **  
** **in the world’s best bouquet** **  
** **This map points towards tomorrow** **  
** **dyed in seven colors…**

**You’re not alone…** **  
** **Because you’re not alone…** **  
** **Broaden the map of the future.”**

After the last note rang out, she swept off the piano bench and flung herself at the nearest boy, Masato. “What’re you guys doing here?!”

He returned it as Tokiya answered. “Shibuya was worried when she didn’t get your message.”

“It’s nice to meet Hikari’s grandparents,” Otoya said, accepting the hug from her as Aiko and Teruki moved to hug a surprised Ren, who quickly returned it.

He smiled charmingly at the elder couple. “It’s nice to meet more people who knew my mother.”

“Ah, Renge-chan. She was a brilliant singer,” her grandmother hummed and pulled back, tapping her chin. “I think I have a photo album of her and the others somewhere.”

“It’s in your hidden room,” Teruki answered as he ruffled a bemused Syo’s hair, Natsuki in a headlock with the other arm.

“Oh?” Aiko intoned, making Teruki freeze at the forbidding tone. “And how exactly would you know about that room? Te-ru-ki?”

The man released the blonds, swiftly disappearing out the door. “Oh, would you look at the time - I have to go water my turkeys! Bye, boys, it was nice meeting you!”

They stared and Hikari turned to Aiko, puzzled. “I thought you sold all the turkeys last week?”

Aiko dropped her frigidness and chuckled. “We did. Did you eat? We have stuff for sandwiches.”

“Do you guys make you own bread?” Syo asked curiously, shrugging at their puzzled looks. “They have a farm, not really an unreasonable question.”

“We do,” Hikari answered, shooing them into the kitchen. “Everything we’ve got is good for an idol and actor/actress, so don’t worry.”

**_-AA-_ **

Hikari stretched her arms out as she walked after her boys, slipping her shoes on and fixing her bag strap. “So, we go the leisurely route?” She peered up at Ren, who was beside her.

He glanced at the others and nodded. “Why not?”

“They have drinks, right?” Syo asked, leaning past Masato to look at her.

She nodded and finished tying her shoe. “Yeah. They’ve got both a food cart and a trolley. The food cart’s got all the freshly cooked things and the trolley has things like bottled drinks and bentos. Snacks, basically.”

The blond nodded. Hikari turned and hugged her grandparents. “I love you guys, take care.”

“Love you, too, Kari. Be safe and drive the brat nuts!” Teruki said, squeezing her.

“That goes for you boys as well.” Aiko hugged Ren once more. “Be careful.”

“Of course. Thank you for the photo album,” the strawberry blond said.

“You’re welcome. Have a safe trip back.”

The couple waved them off as they walked to the bus station. Otoya let out a whoosh of air. “You’re really not going to do anything to him though?” He was referring to what they’d been speaking about in the house over food.

“Not a thing,” she confirmed, looping an arm through Natsuki’s and a hand into Syo’s, swinging their hands. “It’ll make more of an impact than setting up glitter bombs.”

That startled a laugh out of them.

“Are we talking edible glitter or normal glitter?” Ren asked.

“Both. Ants love sugar and normal glitter would be everywhere.” She snickered at the thought.

* * *

 

Hikari was waiting in the back, near where the members of STARISH would enter. She was dressed in a loose off the shoulder white shirt (STARISH’s logo on it), a green tank top beneath it. A pair of black flats adorned her feet and a pastel yellow, knee-length skirt finished off her outfit. Her neck and wrists were covered with glow stick bracelets and necklaces.

Otoya reached her first as the boys made their way down the hall. Their hands met with a loud clap and they exchanged wild grins.

Masato was calmer as their hands met, but she could see the excitement shining in his eyes.

Ren was after the darker haired scion, their hands clapping together and her cousin pressed a quick kiss to her forehead before darting after Masato.

Syo smacked her hands enthusiastically, a bit sharp and he had a bounce in his step as he raced after Ren.

Natsuki’s high fives were gentler and they shared bright smiles.

Tokiya was last and his were quick and light as he moved down the hall, glancing back at her with a quick finger gun at her.

Hikari herself moved through the halls, hearing them speak through their mics. She made it to the side, making sure she couldn’t be spotted as she pressed her hands to her chest, the music ringing in her ears and a huge smile on her face.

**“Beating so fast, seems like it’ll burst, 1000% Love! Hey!!**

**  
** **10! (Are You Ready?)** **  
** **9! (Are You Ready?)** **  
** **8! (Are You Ready?)** **  
** **7! 6!** **  
** **5! (Are You Ready?)** **  
** **4! (Are You Ready?)** **  
** **3! (Are You Ready?)** **  
** **2! 1!**

**Come on, Let’s song!!** **  
** **Let’s sing of our dreams! (Let’s shout!)** **  
** **Let’s sing to the sky! (Let's go!)** **  
** **Let’s make our story burst forth!** **  
** **The map of the future! (Yes yes!)　Let’s draw it together!** **  
** **This revolution (We are)** **  
** **Let’s go! (ST☆RISH)** **  
** **Love will change the star!** **  
** **Check it out!!**

**A barely beating heart** **  
** **Uh baby, an aggressive love’s impulse** **  
** **Which do you choose, my princess?** **  
** **It’s enough to make my head spin! 1000%Love!**

**Why is it?** **  
** **I am** **  
** **overflowing with you!** **  
** **My heart** **  
** **is flustered!** **  
** **A marvelous rave!**

**Just the two of us,** **  
** **let’s make up a constellation like nobody’s ever seen!** **  
** **More amazing** **  
** **than a kiss,** **  
** **let’s create a world out of song!** **  
** **Come on, Let's dance!!** **  
** **Let’s dance our dreams! (Let's shout!)** **  
** **Let’s dance to the sky! (Let's go!)** **  
** **Too much is just fine!** **  
** **You ready?** **  
** **A one-time (Yes yes!) 　special life!** **  
** **This isn’t (We are)** **  
** **in any textbook! (ST☆RISH)** **  
** **Love will change the star!** **  
** **Check it out!!**

**For tonight, it’s just to two of us! 1000%Love!**

**In a seven-colored compass,** **  
** **Uh honey,　it’s yours alone,** **  
** **a brand new melody!** **  
** **We’ve found the “ish”!** **  
** **All：That's why we want to convey it! 1000%Love!** **  
** **  
** **It’s so strong,** **  
** **this ringing is** **  
** **knocking on the mind.** **  
** **Believe heart** **  
** **and then** **  
** **Release it! Sing!**

**Full throttle chivalry** **  
** **Surpassing Orion!** **  
** **Shining more** **  
** **Than a rainbow,** **  
** **Let’s kick it up another notch!**

**Come on, Let's peace!!** **  
** **Let’s make our dreams soar! (Let's shout!)** **  
** **Let’s fly through the sky! (Let's go!)** **  
** **Hey, isn’t this the best time to go on a journey?** **  
** **Even if we fail (Yes yes!) millions of times,** **  
** **This love passion (We are)** **  
** **Will never be crushed! (ST☆RISH)** **  
** **Love will change the star!**

**Even now, I want to hold you close!** **  
** **Because I seriously want to protect you!**

**Come on, Let’s song!!** **  
** **Let’s sing of our dreams! (Let’s shout!)** **  
** **Let’s sing to the sky! (Let's go!)** **  
** **Let’s make our story burst forth!** **  
** **The map of the future! (Yes yes!)　Let’s draw it together!** **  
** **This revolution (We are)** **  
** **Let’s go! (ST☆RISH)** **  
** **Love will change the star!** **  
** **Check it out!**

**For tonight, it’s just to two of us! 1000% Love!”**

* * *

 

The next night, after the concert, Hikari dreamed.

**_-AA-_ **

_ Leading her fellow ten-year-old along the tiny, rocky creek a bit past Gran’s farmyard, Hikari pointed out a small bush to Haruka. “Look, Ruka-chan! I told you I found some!” _

_ Small Haruka gazed at the flowers in awe. “Ri-chan… they’re as pretty as Grandmother’s sweet peas.” _

_ Growing in front of them were a bunch of forget-me-nots, all lovely pastel colors.  _

_ Hikari stepped down into the creek bed, leather sandals soaked quickly. She held a hand out to Haruka, who took it nervously. The other girl stepped carefully into the creek bed and crossed behind Hikari, moving closer to sniff at the forget-me-nots. “I kinda want to bring some with me, you know. For my windowsill.” _

_ “Actually, Ri-chan,” Haruka spoke up, looking at Hikari sheepishly. “I have something for you back at the greenhouse.” _

_ Blinking, Hikari laughed. “That’s alright. We can go ahead and head back.” Once again offering her cousin her hand, she lead the way back to the house, bypassing the farmyard. Haruka lightly tugged on Hikari’s hand and released it as she took the lead, opening the door and holding it open. The more fragile girl lead her to her area in the flower greenhouse. _

_ Hikari squeaked in awe at the flowers. “Did you grow these on your own? … Hau-chan?” _

_ Turning, she took in the sadly smiling teen. “Oh, Ri-chan…” _

_ Said girl blinked in confusion, realising both were now teens, Haruka in her hospital wear. “H-Haru?” _

_ “Look at the flowers again.” Hikari shook her head, slow at first then rapidly. _

_ “No. No no no-” _

_ “Ri-chan, please.” Haruka was crying despite her smile. She turned to look at them. _

_ White and pink anemone flowers in two pots. Pink sweet peas in another. White poppies in the last. _

_ “Haruka…” Her voice cracked as she turned to her cousin. _

_ “Arigato, Ri-chan.” Haruka moved and hugged her tightly. “Arigato, arigato, I love you, arigato, arigato, arigato…” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Otoya’s a year older, because the age difference between him and Cecil is confusing and I hate it.


	14. Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).  
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

A month later (they’d graduated in the last week of July), Hikari eyed the falling leaves curiously. ‘ _ Shining must have invested in the mutated sakura trees. Kinda cool.’ _

“Kari!” The call made her turn around and she braced herself for Tomochika’s hug. She returned the hug.

“Hey! It’s good to see you.” They let go, stepping away, but linking arms. 

“You ready for this?” Tomochika asked her.

“Oh, yeah. The month away was way too long for me.” Tomochika glanced at her, but didn’t say anything about the sad smile.

“Sayumi-shishou said to take you to the agency first. I’ll have to leave afterwards.”

“That’s fine. The walk to the dorms is just a straight path, right?”

“Yep. The system is easy once you get the hang of it. Well, outside the jobs, anyway.”

They laughed as they walked, catching up.

**_-AA-_ **

Earphones in, she bobbed her head to her cousin’s newest single as she walked down the path. She mumbled along to it.

**_“We were caught up and lost in all of our vices_ ** **_  
_ ** **_In your pose as the dust settled around us_ **

**_And the walls kept tumbling down_ ** **_  
_ ** **_In the city that we love_ ** **_  
_ ** **_Grey clouds roll over the hills_ ** **_  
_ ** ****_Bringing darkness from above...”_

A hand brushing her shoulder made her jump and shriek, arm swinging back. Verdant met red and she blushed darkly. “S-sorry, Otoya!” She blurted, tugging her earphones out and pausing the song. 

He laughed and hugged her. “No harm, no foul.”

They exchanged smiles. “You ready to start singing my songs again?”

Lighting up, he nodded exuberantly. “Oh, yeah! I like the new things we’ll do, but i want to sing your songs again!”

“Well, you’re in luck. Muse kept me up at times, so I’ve got tons of songs, not just for STARISH, but Tomo-chan, too.”

“Too much free time?”

“Way too much.”

He glanced at his phone then hugged her again. “I’ve got business at the agency. Let’s meet up later with the others. See you.”

She waved and began walking again, putting her earphones away.  _ ‘Maybe not listen to music till I’m in the dorms. That was a little heart stopping.’ _

The girl made her way quickly to the dorms, grinning when she saw Natsuki napping by a tree, but didn’t have the heart to wake him up. When the door open, she blinked into aquamarine eyes. “Syo!”

Syo jerked in surprise, then grinned. “Kari, hey!” He moved to accept her hug.

“You look well,” she said releasing him.

“You, too. How was your “Prince of Fighting” marathon?” He asked, moving to pick up a box.

“We lost a lot of popcorn to the villains,” Hikari admitted shamelessly. “Chu-chan was happy enough to clean it up for us.”

A laugh left him as she moved to widen the opening. They looked over at a yell and her bag pressed into her side as Natsuki hugged her, feet off the ground. “Natsuki,” she began in a complaining tone as Syo flailed to catch his balance. “I can’t hug you back like this.”

He released her, dropping her, and she hugged him around the middle. “It’s good to see you again, Kari-chan.”

“You, too.” He released her when Syo jabbed him in the side, pouting at the smaller blond.

“That hurt.” Natsuki pouted.

Checking her phone, she cut off their bickering. “Hey, I gotta go to my room. Want to meet up in the practice room?”

“Sure,” Syo answered after glancing at Natsuki. 

Hugging them both, she waved and hurried to her dorm, following the signs. She had to spin when Tokiya came around the corner, just narrowly missing him. “Hey, Toki-Toki!”

An exasperated look came onto his face, but willingly accepted her hug with one arm. “Hello, Hikari.”

“Just starting to move in?” She asked and he nodded. “Well, me, Otoya, Syo, and Natsuki are meeting in the practice room. I’ve got songs~!”

Tokiya nodded, lips quirking. “I’ll make sure I have time. See you then.”

“See you!” She moved on, picking up speed when she entered the women’s dorms. Reaching her room, she whipped the door open fully and crowed. “My room!”

A screech left her when a dry voice spoke up. “I see you’re louder than usual, Hikari.”

“Seriously?!” She cried, flailing a bit before she moved to hug her friend, ignoring the apron. “First Otoya, now you. It’s like it’s scare Hikari day or something.”

Doing the same as Tokiya, hugging her back with one arm, he moved away. “Sorry.”

“What’re you doing in my room? Cleaning?” She asked, looking around.

“Yes. The movers asked me to show them your room and it was so dirty, I could not help myself.” Masato answered.

“Thank you.” She took the apron and folded it while he removed his handkerchief from his head, tugging on his jacket. “I’m meeting the blond duo, Tokiya, and Otoya in the practice room to meet up. Join us?”

“I will. I’ll leave you to unpack.” Masato accepted the apron back and headed to the door. “See you later.”

“Bye, Masato!”

He left, closing the door. Turning around, she sighed lightly. “So… much… stuff…” A groan left her and she dropped her bag on the table, moving to her bed stuff.  _ ‘At least I know better than to skip making my bed first. It was weird sleeping without a pillow and blanket that first day at the Academy.’ _

She moved quickly, wanting to get her music things out after her bed was made and at least a week's worth of clothes (even if it just consisted of pajamas - she had looked at her schedule and had nothing to do with the world outside the Agency, so, you know, pajama heaven). A knock on the door made her grumble, but she straightened up and headed over, swinging the door open dramatically only to still, puzzled. A bunch of red, orange, and yellow roses filled the hall. “Ren?”

A soft laugh came from the flowers and the strawberry blond slipped through easily, holding an orange rose. “That obvious?” He asked, holding his arms out.

Stepping into them, she giggled. “You’re the only one to have flowers at all, cousin mine.”

“Fair enough.” Ren looked down at her. “You know you could have had more time off.”

“Yeah…” She stepped away, touching the nearest bundle of yellow roses. “But I made my peace with Haruka dying years ago, as macabre as that sounds… the doctors had said it was a miracle to begin with since she lasted into puberty.”

“She sounds stubborn,” the male mused, tucking the rose into his own hair.

A lopsided smile formed. “All of us are. It’s why the twins were so sure she wouldn’t give in, along with auntie and uncle. I was the only one she told that she wouldn’t last much longer, but wanted to know her ‘Hayato-sama’ was in safe hands.”

“Yours,” he concluded.

“Un.”

The cousins fell silent then he leaned forward to kiss her head. “I’ll meet you and the others in the practice room. See you, Little Flower.”

“Ah… Hey wait! Ren, you can’t just leave me with these! Ren!”

**_-AA-_ **

Otoya leaned against the piano. “I’m so excited, just like our days at the Academy…”

“Our new life is beginning,” Masato murmured.

“Under the same roof as the Little Flower,” Ren added, voice odd.

A wide grin came over Otoya’s face at the thought.  _ ‘No more Hikari coming through the window for the assignments! We can just hang out in the common areas! … I really hope she doesn’t come into the guys area like in the Academy, that was a little terrifying, especially when she wore her brown bear onesie…’  _

A sharp “Otoya!” made him jump.

“What? What?!” He straightened, looking around worriedly.

“What were you just thinking about?” Ren asked, smirking a little mischievously.

“Kari doesn’t have a reason to break into the guy’s dorms anymore,” Otoya said, eyeing the three. “Why?”

Ren pursed his lips in a slight pout and Masato chuckled softly. “I forgot she did that,” the pianist said.

“You looked like you were thinking loving thoughts,” Tokiya said.

He stared at the teen in confusion, not understanding where he was going when apprehension and he let out a horrified noise. “Wha- No! Not like that!” Otoya sort of screeched, reeling back and flailing. “Kari’s like a sister! I was just thinking she wouldn’t have to come into the guy’s dorms for assignments like some kind of thief! Do you not remember the brown bear panic?”

The trio grimaced. “I never heard Ringo-sensei scream like that before,” a voice said from the entry and they looked to see Syo and Natsuki, the smaller blond frowning.

A snicker left Ren. “But do you remember Ryuya-san’s reaction? He ran out in a towel, prepared to fight.”

Pursing his lips, Natsuki shook his head. “At least Hikari-chan can’t scare him like that again, living with us and not near him.”

“As long as she doesn’t scare the other occupants,” Tokiya said.

“Hey, you guys!” The sound of running feet made them look over and Syo grabbed Hikari before her sock-covered feet could slide her into falling. “Thanks, Syo. Gather round, I got presents!”

They accepted the sheets passed out to them, the girl bouncing with a grin.

“Are they all different?” Tokiya wondered.

“Six songs…” Masato muttered.

“You were twitchy, weren’t you?” Ren asked her, smirking at her shrug.

“I’m an active person,” she replied. “Not to mention, I was thinking of you lot during my break and lo and behold, songs.” She wiggled her fingers.

“This is so cool, thank you!” Otoya said, grinning at her.

“We’ll have to write worthy lyrics,” Syo mused as he looked his song over.

“Thank you, Hikari-chan,” Natsuki said, pulling her into a side hug.

The group paused as a familiar laugh sounded out and the lone girl drooped against Natsuki. “I thought I scared him off,” she grumbled. A snicker escaped him before he could help it, hand covering his mouth when she grinned wickedly at him.

“Happy idols share pure love!” Saotome boomed, falling down on ribbons, pulling off some rather flashy moves for a middle aged man.

“Hey, oyabun!” Hikari called out, giggling when the man’s landing faltered.

He rallied himself quickly, still moving. “Boys, welcome to the Master Course. Your debut concert was wonderful.”

“Thank you very much,” Otoya said automatically, sweating at how the man was looming into his and Syo’s space.

“But!” He stole Syo’s hat. “The reality is, many bloom splendidly and fade like fireworks. Only the devoted can become actual stars in the night sky. Allow me… to introduce you to someone essential to helping you accomplish that!”

A purple screen fell from the ceiling.

“Show yourselves,” Saotome said, arm raising dramatically and Otoya could feel excitement bubbling, wondering who they were going to see or meet. “Pioneering princes!”

Four people appeared on screen and STARISH fell silent, sharing glances with Hikari, who seemed a bit puzzled.

**“Give in to temptation** **  
** **My promise to you** **  
** **I’ll rock you hard** **  
** **With my deep emotion**

**Listen to my voice…** **  
** **Let your hair fly…** **  
** **Ah… This lesson of the night** **  
** **Slowly, slowly** **  
** **Gently, your left hand** **  
** **Entwined with my right,** **  
** **Searching for** **  
** **Love’s destination**

**Now, pretend you can’t see the clock** **  
** **Come just as you are** **  
** **Try putting your ear against my chest** **  
** **The distance between you and my heartbeats** **  
** **Feeling, feeling, feeling… Ah…**

**I want to be driven insane with the love of a poison kiss** **  
** **Rocking hard, rocking hard** **  
** **A bewitching poison kiss** **  
** **More and more…and** **  
** **An eternal poison kiss** **  
** **Ah… As my heart is,** **  
** **I’ll give you a poison kiss**

**Feel this love!** **  
** **Burn with this love!** **  
** **Believe this love!** **  
** **Love is all! QUARTET NIGHT**

**On your upper lip** **  
** **The pain left behind** **  
** **I’ll rewrite it over and over** **  
** **This game is just starting** **  
** **Next, with everything I’ve got,** **  
** **I’ll really test your limits** **  
** **There’s no logic** **  
** **In this passion**

**There’s no need for words** **  
** **Discover it with your heart** **  
** **A sigh-filled love song… Eyes blurred by tears** **  
** **I want to hear your song** **  
** **Ready? Ready? Ready? Ah…**

**A poison kiss just like this** **  
** **Wanna be you, wanna be you** **  
** **A poison-soaked kiss** **  
** **Ride on, ride on** **  
** **An even greater poison kiss** **  
** **Ah… As my entire body trembles,** **  
** **Throughout this poison kiss**

 

**Feel this love!** **  
** **Burn with this love!** **  
** **Believe this love!** **  
** **Love is all! QUARTET NIGHT**

**Go wild, on your instincts alone, it’s all right!** **  
** **Just like I taught you, now hurry!** **  
** **Exposed in our midnight dance** **  
** **As I sing into your ear** **  
** **A-ga-in…**

**I want to be driven insane with the love of a poison kiss** **  
** **Rocking hard, rocking hard** **  
** **A bewitching poison kiss** **  
** **More and more…and** **  
** **An eternal poison kiss** **  
** **Ah… There's no need to kneel** **  
** **I’ll give you a poison kiss**

**Feel this love!** **  
** **Burn with this love!** **  
** **Believe this love!** **  
** **Love is all! QUARTET NIGHT!”**

“They’re real?!” He couldn’t help squawking out as the screen suddenly vanished and three of the males were there. His bandmates were just as startled, Hikari making a small noise.

“Anyway, I must prepare for the entrance ceremony. Work hard, thank you!” The man fled. There was no other word for it after seeing Saotome shoot Hikari a wary look.

“I think you traumatized him,” Tokiya murmured and she snickered.

“Good.”

They looked at each other in exasperation before a voice made them look up.

“Thanks for waiting, everyone!” Ringo said, beaming from atop a lowering, glittery stage.

“You guys are shiny!” Otoya noted in mild surprise, wondering if they’d been hit by one of Hikari’s glitter bombs.

“It’s a shame you’re a man,” Ren sighed, letting out a grunt when Hikari elbowed him.

“Even Ryuya-sensei,” Syo mumbled, obviously taking a picture and sending it to Shiori.

“You’re horrible,” Hikari laughed.

Ryuya cleared his throat, making him look over with the others as the two teachers came closer. The two were quick to explain what was going on. Otoya noted Kotobuki seemed cheerful while Mikaze and Kurosaki were rather disinterested.

“By the way, Kari-chan. Where are you going?” Ringo questioned, batting his eyes as he looked at the girl.

Said girl was smiling nervously and walking backwards to the exit. A shaky laugh left her. “Ahaha, well, uh, I just remembered. I’ve got something of my grandfather’s to send out, you know. To, uh, reassure him I’m okay.”

“Oh, really?” Ryuya said coolly and the teens moved to get out of his way. “That wouldn’t happen to be the glitter bombs from the faculty areas, would it?”

Hikari froze, then bolted without trying to defend herself.

“Nanami, get back here!” Ryuya shot off after her.

“No! You’re going to hit me!” She shrieked back.

“Ren.” The sober tone made them look at the remaining teacher. His brows were furrowed in concern. “How is she?”

The three Seniors were clearly curious, but went unheeded. STARISH had been informed via Ren and Tomochika. The strawberry blond sighed, glancing after his cousin. “She’s okay,” he answered slowly. “Hikari has some moments when she goes distant, but that’s all.”

Ringo crossed his arms, pursing his lips. “And she isn’t willing to take more time off… Shiny has people watching her from the cameras just in case, since he’s a worrywart.”

The younger group nodded in understanding. “We’ll watch out, too, but we have no way of knowing since she probably won’t say a word to us,” Tokiya said.

“Tomo-chan mentioned she would when Syo-chan and I saw her this morning.” Natsuki added, looking at the smaller blond when he nodded in confirmation.

“Shiori-senpai invited me to join her on the action programs she’d be attending since she knew we’d be worrying about the family.” The tiny blond shrugged. “Senpai said she’d also pass on any news so we could calm our worrying.”

“Sorry to interrupt, but is something wrong with your composer?” Kotobuki interjected, looking concerned.

Sharing wordless looks, Tokiya answered. “Hikari’s cousin died a day after our debut and we’re worried, that’s all.”

Kotobuki blinked, but nodded hesitantly. They looked back at the entry at the sound of running and Hikari blurred through, Ryuya still chasing her through the halls.

“I think she’ll be fine,” Masato said after a moment. “But please keep this private in the event Hikari still has her glitter bombs.”

“A-ah…” Kotobuki uttered.

“You don’t think she’s hidden any in our rooms, do you?” Syo abruptly asked, turning to them with a wary look.

“She did take a while in meeting us…” Ren said slowly.

They stared at each other for a moment and bolted, forever wary of their friend when got impish.

**_-AA-_ **

“So what’s it like here?” Hikari asked, back in her room with Tomochika helping her unpack (the other girl was mainly dealing with the flowers).

“It’s so hard! My seniors are strict and I’ve got my own work to deal with. Every day makes my head spin!” Tomochika answered, a bright smile on her lips.

“Thanks again for the help.”

“You helped me move, too. Ah, I wish we could live together again but I was assigned to the Seniors apartment.” The two shared pouts and moved to hug each other after noticing the time.

“Let’s work hard, together!” Hikari exclaimed.

“Let’s!”

**_-AA-_ **

After Tomochika had left, she changed into her night time clothes. Shifting her hoodie, Hikari moved to the box holding her desk pictures. Her eyes landed on the picture of her and Haruka, smiling gently at the gleeful faces as they stood in the cherry blossom tunnel, Kai and Shiori on either side of them as they held up fallen petals. The girl knew her friends were worried, but she’d told Ren the truth - when her and Haruka had heard the news, they’d gone to the old shed where Hikari had thrown a tantrum, mourning with Haruka the future loss of her cousin who was all but her sister. That was the only reason Hikari was not as broken hearted as the rest of her family. Her eyes shifted to the Lunaria flower she’d pressed and framed. Finger running over both frames, she sighed.

“Miss you, Ruka…”

A low, echoing meow drew her attention to her balcony, making her blink in bemusement. She headed outside, wondering if that meant Cecil was there. Fireflies could be seen near the trees and headed out to them, trailing after the bugs to the gazebo.

“Cecil?” She stared at the teen as he hopped out of the gazebo, moving closer and kneeling, catching her hand in his to kiss it. Her heart flailed for a moment.

He smiled sweetly up at her. “I’m glad to see you again, my princess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starting S2. Wish me luck with Cecil if you please. Also I was looking over my previous chapters, namely number 11 where I have a mistype, but don’t want to change it - I said Hikari was 14 when Haruka had her heart attack. It was actually meant to be 15, since they’re both May babies and the Shibazakura festival is from April to May (from chapter 12, dream scene). S2 may or may not be a bit longer since I’ll be trying to bounce between Hikari and STARISH, not to mention her family if it fits into the main storyline.
> 
> Second song is “Poison Kiss” from the episode (1) and the first is “Pompeii” by Bastille.


	15. Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

 

_ 'Princess?’ _ Hikari wondered, a faint blush forming despite her fighting it. “How’d you get on the grounds?” She asked instead as he stood straight.

“Who said I’m on the grounds?” He asked in turn and she squinted up at him in confusion.

“What? That doesn’t - what?”

Cecil simply smiled. “I have to thank you,” Cecil murmured, linking their hands and swinging them. “The songs you’ve spun saved me.”

“From being a cat?” Hikari asked, eyeing their hands. “You made a cute cat.”

A slight chuckle left him and he tugged her a bit closer, hands releasing to cup her face. His eyes saddened. “I’m sorry about your cousin.”

“Thank you,” she said quietly. “I know she’s in a better place.”

“She is. The Muses had looked upon her as favorably as they had you.” Cecil paused, brows furrowing in consideration. “This will be the last time we meet like this.”

Hikari’s eyes flew up to his, her chest tightening in panic. “What?” Her voice cracked.  _ ‘Please, Muse, no. I can’t lose someone else!’ _

“You’ll understand soon,” Cecil promised, eyes warming with reassurance as he pressed their foreheads together. Her breath caught as he shifted, verdant eyes fluttering shut as he moved his face closer…

**_-AA-_ **

Hikari shot upright in her bed, nearly toppling off. Her face felt like it was burning and her everything (except her vocal cords, which refused to work) screamed at what just happened.

Burying her face in her hands, she wondered,  _ ‘Was that only a dream?’ _ A strangled noise left her and she curled into a ball, just knowing she wouldn’t be able to sleep again.  _ ‘Damn Cecil and his nice features! Aaaugh!’ _

* * *

 

She was… sort of better in the morning, but still dressed down with her outfit consisting of a grey tank top beneath a white STARISH hoodie (she’d taken Saotome’s words as a challenge and showed the world her STARISH fangirlness) and dark blue basketball shorts, plain black sneakers on her feet over purple bat covered socks. Her hair was up in a messy bun, headphones around her neck and her portable console in a messenger bag.

Knocking on the door, Hikari stepped into Saotome’s office. She squinted at the bright room. “Morning,” she said after catching her bearings, nodding to Ringo and holding her hands out to prevent Saotome from popping her bubble.

“Miiiiss Nanami, I know it’s soon but I’d like you to start composing a new song for STARISH,” he said, looming close, but respecting her gesture.

Glancing at her bag, she looked up at him with a frown. “You don’t mean right now, right? I don’t have my composing stuff.”

A booming laugh left the president. “Not without your stuff,” he agreed, but then grinned at her brightly. “Write me a song that makes me want to repeat over and over again!”

A smile formed. “Of course! I want to make music to make people smile, after all.”

Ringo stood and walked over. “Work hard, Kari-chan. You wrangled those boys into a single group. I’m sure it’ll be amazing.”

“If I do less than my best, assume I’m sick,” Hikari replied, looking around the room curiously, seeing papers on the furniture and figuring it was for something later on. “Admittedly, I had help for Maji %1000.”

“What do you mean?” Ringo asked.

“A little princely cat helped me figure out where to put the notes.” She said after thinking on how to word it.

Ringo seemed puzzled as Saotome said, “I look forward to your next song, Miss Nanami.”

“Un… I’m glad you haven’t ran into any glitter bombs, oyabun,” Hikari said as she moved to head out. Saotome froze up, Ringo copying him with a wary look. “I wouldn’t want your work ruined.”

Moving quickly, she left before he could ask her about the bombs and rushed to the nearest stairwell, giggling hysterically as she held the railing.

“What did you do?” A voice from below asked warily and she lifted her head up to see Ryuya with Quartet Night right behind him, all staring at her.

Leaning over the railing, she held back her laughter ask, “What makes you think I did anything, senpai?”

Ryuya rolled his eyes as he paused on the steps, now eye level with her. “You have that look on your face,” he said dryly. “Spill it so I know what I’m about to walk into.”

“Nothing bad. After all, I’m better with mind games. You seen my boys?” She asked moving to continue down the steps, bypassing the five males (she wiggled her fingers in greeting at the Senior).

“They should be done with practice,” Ryuya said, looking towards Saotome’s office. “When are you going to stop?”

“When he learns to stop messing with a Nanami. See you later!” Hikari hurried off, heading outside.

**_-AA-_ **

The wind tousled her hair lightly as she walked along the main path, looking for her boys. Ahum left her throat, her eyes moving from side to side. The dream(?) from before came to mind and she sighed, feeling her cheeks warm slightly.  _ ‘Stupid Cecil and his weird, gushy, sweet ways… ugh…’ _

It was the foreign lyrics that caught her attention first.

**“Listor lu jineil los Agna (The song of Agna is a song of love)** **  
** **Ohroizz wellt mollvait… (Please convey this love…)** **  
** **Vi kizz el muse feilis wiltz Agna (The song of Agna is the song of Muse)** **  
** **Enne fel colfin reijistar… (The notes it plays will show the way…)”**

Her steps stopped, eyes narrowing as she concentrated on the voice before the voice hit her. “Oh…!” She moved back into a fast walk.

**“The warmth of his day remains within my heart** **  
** **The magic spell upon me is lifting.”**

Hikari switched to a jog, following Cecil’s voice. She didn’t notice her friends in the courtyard.

**As the flames of the sun kiss the earth,** **  
** **The endless cycle of eternity, under the name of love,** **  
** **Will bind us together**

**Even though I travel hundreds of billions of times to meet you,** **  
** **I’ll always find you through this love’s reincarnation**

**I swear to the stars we’ll never part** **  
** **As I kiss your hand.”**

Reaching the small clearing, Hikari stopped and looked around, head tilting as she searched for her friend.

_ “I’m sorry, Hikari. I didn’t realize I made you worry so much.” _

Her eyes widened in surprise as she took in the language change.  _ ‘Gran really knows a lot of foreign people. Guess it’s a good thing I agreed to learn more languages.’ _

_ “Stupid Cecil,”  _ Hikari chided back in Kazakh (1!), blinking rapidly.  _ “Don’t you know it’s rude to leave a girl in distress?” _

Cecil flew through the trees before landing on the ground near her, accepting her body slam of a hug. “I didn’t meant to,” he said, switching to Japanese. “I thought you’d understand my meaning.”

“I don’t pay attention to words, only music and actions, Cecil-babo,” she muttered, pressing her face into his shoulder as she hugged him tightly.

He laughed into her hair. “I’ll remember that.” Cecil pulled away, arms lightly resting on her shoulders before sliding to catch her hands, voice softening. “I really am sorry for worrying you.”

Hikari smiled helplessly, understanding he was rather affectionate as he cupped her hands in his, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “Just give a warning or something next time. We can make up a code word, maybe.”

“Code word?” His head tilted, clearly considering the idea as he straightened and played with her hands. “Akuma.”

“Akuma,” she repeated, flat.

Green eyes blinked at her, innocently puzzled. “What? Isn’t it a good one?”

“You’re so basic it hurts,” she grumbled and looked to the side where her boys were. “Hey, meet Aijima Cecil, prince of the desert country Agnapolis, which is also the land of music.” Hikari swiftly rattled off their names for the prince.

“It’s nice to meet all of you,” he said, releasing her hands and bowing slightly, smiling brilliantly. “Saotome scouted me-” he looked at Hikari, who nodded “- and I’m a member of the Master Course now… why are you looking at me like that?”

Stepping away, she waved a hand. “No special reason. Let’s move this inside, ne?”

**_-AA-_ **

Hikari set the tea tray down, eyeing the desserts from the kitchen Syo had made sure Natsuki hadn’t made. She snatched a cookie and a cup of sencha tea before leaning against Cecil’s chair. STARISH, except for the wonderfully accepting Natsuki, was quiet.

She didn’t really pay attention as the boys began talking, all of them rather grumpy compared to Cecil and Natsuki’s attitudes. As long as they didn’t start fighting (and knowing how much of a hothead some of them acted like. She did pay attention to what Cecil said about them, understanding he had some kind of precognition and/or empathetic thing thanks to the Muses. The reactions were a bit interesting, Hikari noted as she hid a smile behind her teacup.

“I did,” she interjected after Syo’s outburst. “I still do believe him, especially after he helped me create STARISH with you guys.”

“Eh?” Syo stilled, finger still pointing even as he blinked at her.

“You didn’t make the decision yourself?” Natsuki questioned. She nodded as she bit into her cookie.

“Then without Aijima, STARISH would never have been formed…” Tokiya muttered.

Hikari blinked as she realized she had finished off her cookie and eyed the plate, internally grumbling about how far away it was.

“I am not interested in becoming an Idol.” She looked down at Cecil in confusion.

“Huh…?” The boys and lone girl stared.

“I simply want to sign Hikari’s song,” he answered.

She gazed at him suspiciously  _ “Is this about the Muses?” _

_ “Something like that,” _ Cecil confirmed holding up his cup again.

Her boys stared at them in confusion as she groaned.  _ “Am I getting a reverse harem?”  _ She asked aloud, mildly horrified.

Cecil choked on his tea, covering his mouth as he coughed, face turning red.

A light eyebrow twitched. “That wasn’t in Korean… was it...?” He shook his head, turned away. Glancing at her cup, she sighed. “I’m leaving before I make myself into an idiot.”

Alas, she was deterred by a miniature… snowstorm?  _ ‘We’re inside?!’  _ Hikari stared wordlessly at the fourth member of Quartet Night as he made his appearance. She continued to stare wordlessly as Cecil bickered with his Senior, feeling a headache coming on when Camus dragged her into it. Her brow twitched at Cecil’s arrogant and confessing words. Hikari followed them grumpily outside.

**_-AA-_ **

Hikari felt a little annoyed as she called the lines, watching as the boys ran around for the corresponding cards. She was really irritated she didn’t have any sunglasses for protection against the cloudless sky. A scream nearly escaped as they realized that Cecil had gotten the wrong cards. A bout of laughter did escape after Cecil rushed out of the pond, wheezing helplessly as he panicked over a fish.

“Kari-chan, you okay?” Natsuki asked, hand on her back.

“C-can’t breathe…” she managed to get out and he carefully picked her, tossing her like a potato sack over his shoulder. The thought made her laugh harder.

“Weirdo,” Masato muttered as he stepped up beside Natsuki, walking along back into the dorms. A wheeze left her and she buried her face into Natsuki’s back, unsure as to why she was still laughing.

**_-AA-_ **

That night, Hikari was back in her room after Camus had scolded Cecil. A half note was written down just as a soft knock sounded from the balcony door. Lifting her head, she stood and walked over, twirling her pencil absently. “Cecil?” She leaned against her open door, blinking curiously at the prince. “What’s up?”

“Because I lost the contest, I will obey Camus,” he said, not quite answering her. His eyes shifted up to the moon. “He also said romantic relationships are forbidden here. Not to mention I allowed you to see an embarrassing side of me. I’m sorry.”

Furrowing her brows, she asked quietly, “What’s really goin’ on in that head of yours? Cecil, why aren’t you interested in being an Idol?”

His fingers tapped a melody on her railing. “Singing is just like breathing to me,” Cecil said after a moment. “It differs from the songs of an Idol… and I simply desire to sing your songs that you write for me. That’s all.” He smiled softly, nervously at her.

Humming slightly, Hikari let her eyes move to his fingers, absently adding notes to a mind music sheet. “STARISH is my first and foremost priority, Cecil. When I write you a song, it’ll be sometime after their next big hit. Will you wait patiently?”

Emerald eyes went wide and he nodded quickly, beaming. “Of course! If I’m able to sing a song of yours, I’ll be patient. Just don’t make me wait forever, please.”

An amused smile formed on her lips. “I don’t think it’ll be that long.”

**_-AA-_ **

Squinting at Saotome later that night, she said, “What.”

The man spun in his chair. “I want you to have your own debut concert, with a lot of songs of your own creation~!”

“Why?” Hikari asked suspiciously.

“You did half the Idol course, remember?” He rolled out. “I will give you a reprieve and you can have two others perform with you. It will be your last task for the Academy.”

“When?” She asked, going through the people she knew personally to drag with her into performing. “And would I have to dance? Because I should tell you now, bones will break. Probably mine.”

“Sometime next year,” the man answered. “You’ll be busy the rest of this year with STARISH and so you will debut a bit later!”

She nodded, tapping her chin in thought. “Otoya and Tomo-chan,” she said after a moment. “We can make the Redhead Trio a thing.”

The man chuckled at her reasoning. “Will you have a theme?” Saotome questioned.

Her eyes lowered for a moment. “Life. That’s all.” Hikari looked back up at him. “Have you done it yet?”

At his grimace, she knew he hadn’t. “No, it has gotten… complicated.”

“Need an ear?” Hikari offered, leaning forward in her chair.

Saotome hesitated, but slowly the words came out. “I have no idea what to do,” he admitted.

Grimacing herself, Hikari tapped her knee. “I could ask Aunt Rin to help you. She’s always been the best with explanations… there’s something more isn’t there?”

“Ah…”

_ “Saotome…” _

**_-AA-_ **

Hikari leaned back in her desk chair, legs crossed on top of her table as she stared thoughtfully at her tablet, fully focusing on her concert. She was talking to herself while writing out a list. “I can’t dance, so I may need back up dancers. That’s one thing I’ll need. Another thing is a bunch of songs if I want a long concert so I won’t have to do another one, no matter what Saotome says. Maybe I can ask Daiki-kun for help… I also need to make sure Tomo-chan and Otoya know about it as well. Need a location - maybe where STARISH debuted…”

Trailing off, she stared at the Lunaria flower.

“This is going to drive me nuts,” she realized.

She swore the petals glowed rainbow and her brow twitched.

“Dammit.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Way shorter than usual, but that seemed like a good stopping place. The concert has been in the planning stages since early S1 and let me tell you, it’s hard to find concert stuff (admittedly, that may just be because I hate researching).
> 
> 1! = Kazakh seems to be the language of Agnapolis. I mean, I tried looking up some of the lyrics in random languages via Google Translate and Kazakh seemed to be the closest. Also the song is clearly Cecil’s “Ai no REINCARNATION.”
> 
> See you next time!


	16. Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

The sound of Syo cheering in excitement filled the air and Ren looked up just as the blond came bouncing to the table, leaning over and flashing a script. Ren was quick to tease him, earning an annoyed glower as Natsuki asked him a question, nodding in answer.

Syo nearly yelled at Aijima when the raven was confused. Then Saotome made his entrance and exit, leaving them all surprised.

"The UtaPri Brand New Award if for brilliant upcoming idols, a rare title," Hikari's voice said from behind, making them turn to her. Ren blinked at her frazzled appearance. "The Ripplers won the Veteran Award after being a group for five years last year. Otoya, phone."

Blinking, the redhead handed the device over.

"What the president said isn't incorrect, either," Tokiya said, directing their attention back to the topic. "STARISH isn't as well known as we think and the quickest way to become established idols is to claim that title… Hikari, are you alright?"

Snapping the phone closed, Hikari growled as she passed it back. "No. Saotome-dono want me to have my own concert, with my own songs and lyrics. He did say I could have two other people perform as acts and I'm choosing Otoya and Tomochika." Her eyes narrowed at Otoya, who seemed surprised. "You are mine for the Thursdays in November, December, and January."

"Hai." She nodded to herself and vanished, presumably to find Tomochika.

A small whistle left Ren. "Saotome certainly likes to live dangerously. I haven't seen her that angry since we played Uno."

There was a group cringe. At Cecil's confusion, Masato said, "Let's just say we can't play it anymore, at least not with her."

Cecil was still puzzled, but nodded.

"Is Shiori supposed to be in the special, too?" Otoya asked Syo, who nodded.

"Yeah." The blond smirked slightly. He noticed Ren grimacing. "Something wrong?"

"Ryuya-san is one of her favorite idols," Ren reminded the blond. "You'll have to make sure she stays on script."

Syo blinked. "Oh, yeah." He made a face. "I might have to ask her to keep me in check, too, then."

* * *

Ryuya turned at the call of his former student. "Kurusu."

The small blond gave him a distracted smile. "I'm looking forward to working with you. Have you seen Shiori-senpai?"

"Nanami's cousin? She's over there." Ryuya motioned over to the side, where the girl was looking through her script, lips moving.

"Thank you!" Syo rushed out before hurrying to the girl, catching her attention. He raised a brow at their hurried talking, but shrugged it off.

_**-AA-** _

Shiori watched as Syo made more attempts at the jump, making sure to avoid Hyuga lest she wilt into a fangirl. Humming low in her throat (a habit in her family), she wondered if the blond had a mental block preventing it from happening.

"Hey," a voice made her glance over. It was the stunt director, Yoshika Sawamura.

"Yoshika-san," she dipped her head.

The woman quirked her lip before nodding to Syo. "What do you think?"

"He has a mental block. Don't know why though, but Hikari mentioned he used to have a fear of heights." Shiori looked back up and winced at seeing him dangle on a wire. "Syo looks like a pendulum."

"Hmm… he could work for future segments," Yoshika muttered. "He just needs more work… and maybe meditation."

Shiori snickered. "Hikari did mention he's a hothead."

"Takes one to know one." Yoshika referred to when Rin had asked her to teach the kids the basic moves of gymnastics, the three taking to it like ducks to water. Hikari had gotten frustrated when she couldn't do something on the first try. "Speaking of hotheads, is she keeping up with her practice?"

"Every weekend she can. She's made Otoya and Syo join her too in the advanced forms, the other four in the basics." Another snicker left her. "Tomochika has joined in when she first met Hikari."

"Spread the flexibility infection, my children," Yoshika said in a mock creepy voice and they chuckled.

_**-AA-** _

Hikari tilted her head consideringly as Otoya wondered if there was anything they could do to help their friend.

"Actually…" She began, smiling wryly at Ren. "There is something someone could do."

Blue eyes narrowed at her suspiciously. "Oh?"

She smiled sweetly before straightening, pulling her phone out and walking away. "Everyone knows fighting is a way to relieve stress, after all."

"He can't have bruises!" Ren called after her, knowing he couldn't change her mind.

"Shiori-nee knows!"

"Should we be worried?" Otoya asked faintly, glancing between them.

"I don't know," Ren answered reluctantly.

* * *

Shiori patted Syo on the head as she walked up, smiling at Natsuki and the stranger she knew to be Cecil. "Welcome to the set," she said to them. "The extras are need by the towers."

Natsuki nodded and glanced over at Cecil. "Myu wanted you to study the fundamentals of idols. One of which is the basics of acting, which if what we'll be doing as extras since it isn't really paid as much attention as the main plot…" His voice faded as he walked away, Cecil a step behind.

"By the way, Syo."

He glanced at her after checking his hair. "Yes?"

"When I get into a role, I relax first." He blinked blue eyes at her in surprise. "It helps me to get into the transitioning state of mind before I become my character."

Syo's eyes lowered. "Is this about me not making the jump?"

"Kind of. More like… hmm… in the beginning, I acted like I was playing a game with my cousins. Slowly, it changed from that to actually being the character." She shrugged at his bemused look. "Some people can't sing, some people can't act, some people can't play instruments. And sometimes, some people merely change the method to suit themselves. Try it with the jump."

His lips twisted into a not quite frown. "I'll try."

"If that doesn't work, imagining people as oddly colored blobs usually helps."

A startled laugh left him as they were called.

_**-AA-** _

Syo blew out a breath against his bangs, sending the strands up into the air. The director had chosen to skip the jump scene today, instead focusing on the scene after so he was practicing the jump after the shooting. He glanced over at Shiori, who was up on the tower ledge with him. "Are you really going to stay?"

"Yep. Yoshika-san doesn't like people practicing stunts on their own." She looked at him, thinking. "Want more advice?"

"Have you ever jumped something like this?" He asked instead after a moment.

Shiori hummed faintly. "When I was sixteen, I had to jump off a cliff into the ocean. It was for a spy movie," she recalled. "I'd never been near the ocean, we never really took vacations unless it was like a forest or somewhere in the city. So the idea of being somewhere like that, where there really isn't much of a bottom, made me freeze. I'd run right up to the very edge, but couldn't take that final step into the water."

Shifting the belt, he asked, "How'd you do it then?"

"I pretended Kai, Haruka, or Hikari was struggling in the water." Syo stilled and turned to stare at her. Shiori shrugged. "It was the only thing I could think of, the only thing that would push me out of my comfort zone."

"So… imagine someone I love in danger…" he mumbled, finishing tying his wire gear on. Blue eyes focused on the other ledge and a image took place, one that made him still at just the thought, lips dry as he licked them.

Image-Kaoru clung to the edge of the walkway and Syo took a step forward.

_**-AA-** _

Shiori watched with pride as Syo made the jump, smirking faintly as she sent the clip to her cousin. The hours went by fast afterwards and she stood with Yoshika, glancing through her PDA for her next thing. Said next thing was training for the upcoming triathlon. "So much sweating," she muttered and at Yoshika's confusion, held the device out to her.

"Have fun, don't break anything," the woman said then glanced past the redhead. "Heads up."

Brows furrowing, Shiori turned and froze at seeing Syo heading over with Hyuga right beside him. Her eyes darted to Syo's but he simply smirked as he stopped walking while Hyuga stepped closer. "Nanami-san, it was nice working with you."

Her mind went staticky, all screamy and buzzy. ' _MY FAVORITE ACTION IDOL JUST COMPLIMENTED ME! EEEEE!'_ "It was nice working with you, too, Hyuga-san," she replied automatically, bowing. He nodded to Yoshika and walked off, removing his cloak. Shiori stared after him then went down like a cut puppet.

"Senpai, are you okay?" Syo asked, hovering over her with a hand pressed against her shoulder.

"Nae ma-eum," she groaned helplessly. It took him a second to translate (thanks to hearing Hikari saying it a few times) and he laughed at her. "Dagchyeo."

* * *

Hikari and Syo were in one of the practice rooms, the girl nibbling on a pocky stick as she looked over a music sheet. Her concert theme was life and she wanted to get a couple songs out before she fully focused on STARISH. "Syo, not that I hate it… but can I please take off the fedora?"

He snickered. "You said you wanted to be my fan," he pointed out, rolling onto his stomach. "It's your certificate."

"I can wear it outside the Academy," she offered. They both fell silent, Syo flipping through his magazine and Hikari looking over the music notes. "Hey, Syo?"

"Yeah?" He glanced at her.

"You don't have anything scheduled tomorrow, right?" Syo nodded and she looked at him pleadingly, clasping her palms together. "Wanna video game marathon with me?"

Syo eyed her. "No horror games. I don't want to get in trouble again."

"Deal!"

_**-AA-** _

His thumbs pressed down even as he twitched the Wii remote.

"No!" She squawked out even as Syo knocked her closer to the Piranha Plant, removing her from the game. "Now I have to rely on stupid Toadette!"

Syo let out a cackle, pushing her away with his foot. "All's fair in love and war! Green Machine for the win!"

"Boo Duet sucks," Hikari growled, stopping in trying to mess with Syo as his team won the minigame. "I can't believe I lost to a shrimp."

"Excuse me?" Blue eyes narrowed darkly at her.

"You heard me. What're ya gonna do, sit on me?"

Sparks flew between them then he smiled sweetly. "I'll just use my Bloway Candy."

She gasped. "You bully! Fiend! Coyote! Tofu-Eater!"

"Uh…"

The voice made them turn to the door, seeing a bemused Reiji.

"Hey, senpai," they chorused, sharing faces. Hikari continued. "What's up? Are we too loud?"

"No, actually…" The brunet scratched his cheek sheepishly. "I was wondering if I could join?"

They blinked, but nodded. "Yeah, sure. I'll restart it so you can join," Syo said, shifting on his beanbag.

"Oh, Syo-tan, you don't have to do that now!" Reiji protested, accepting the controller from Hikari with mild reluctance.

"It's fine, senpai," Hikari said, kicking over another beanbag and settling in it as Reiji took hers. "'Sides, Ringo-sensei prefers it if we have some form of supervision when we play games."

Reiji paused in settling, staring at them in confusion. "Why?"

Sharing looks, Syo bit his lip and looked away, shaking slightly. "Let's just say we're both really competitive. Speaking of, you don't care for Yoshi or Boo, do you?"

"Ah, no. I prefer Toad." Reiji shrugged lightly. "I always found his hat thing funny."

"Hat," Hikari said just as Syo let out, "Head." They glared at each other."

"Eh?"

"It's his hat," Hikari said stiffly.

"It's part of his head," Syo retorted.

"Hat."

"Head."

"Hat."

"Head."

"Hat!"

"Head!"

"His hats are better than yours!"

"You're shorter than he is!"

"At least I have a toadstool!"

They paused, Hikari blinking at her words. Reiji's wheezing made them realize the innuendo in her words and she turned red, curling away from them with a groan. Syo let out a helpless laugh, slumping against his seat as he clutched his stomach. "K-Kari-he-he-he-"

"I hate you! Stop laughing!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nae ma-eum - My heart
> 
> Dagchyeo - shut up
> 
> Remember when I said S2 might be longer? That’s might’ve been an overestimation. And to those who may or may not be wondering if the Nanamis should be sadder and more mournful, they’ve had years to get used to losing Haruka and as mentioned, Hikari was the only one to actually mourn beforehand. The ones who’d grieve the most would be Haruto and Noriko. I… hope this makes sense? (It made sense in my head, but then I’ve never really lost a close relative/friend)
> 
> See you next time!


	17. Seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

 

Stopping outside the dorms, Hikari began her stretches alongside Syo and Otoya. “At least I don’t have to suffer in the morning alone,” she said with a huff, blowing at her bangs. “Music doesn’t have as much encouragement as competition does.”

Otoya let out a laugh, pulling his arms above his head. “It’s only fair since you’re helping with our gymnastics.”

“Yeah,” Syo said in agreement. “I definitely couldn’t do a backflip without a two handed backbend.”

“Trampolines are good for flips. Those, plus the squishy cubes and spheres, were what we used to train on before mats.” She fell into step with the teens as they walked into the building.

“What do you think of Masa’s new audition?” Syo asked, glancing at her. 

“He… might have a bit of trouble,” Hikari admitted reluctantly. “Masato really knows the fundamentals, but it’s different when it comes to the serious acting as you know. And I read the script, mainly the scene he needs to use for his audition.”

“It’s something out of his comfort zone, isn’t it?” Otoya guessed.

“Oh yeah. It’s way out of his zone, only assisted a little by my love for hugs and Natsuki’s,” Hikari answered.

“Hm… maybe we should help him.” Syo and Otoya shared looks.

“You guys can, but Ringo-sensei’s been flinging assignments from the Academy to help him grade. I’ll visit you lot when I can.” They reached the kitchen.

“Why’s he doing that?” Otoya asked in confusion.

Syo pointed to the sourdough buns, which Otoya tossed to him as Hikari snagged the toaster. “Is he making you an assistant or something?”

“No idea, but some of the things he has me doing is similar to a Kapellmeister, a conductor.” She moved to pull the pans out while Otoya grabbed the eggs and bacon, Syo the vegetables and cheese. “Where’s the egg thing at again?”

“Drawer to the left.” The trio fell into quiet conversation on why Ringo might be having Hikari grade.

**_-AA-_ **

“Don’t you usually hug Hikari back?” Otoya pointed out and blinked at the exasperation on Masato’s face.

“I do, but that’s only so she doesn’t cling to me like an octopus,” Masato answered wryly and the redhead conceded his point.

“You could still act like it’s Hikari you’re hugging,” Syo said, latching onto Otoya so Natsuki didn’t pull him into a tight, breathtaking hug. “Or you have a sister, right? Act like it’s just a normal hug.”

“Ochibi, you do recall it’s a romantic scene, right?” Ren asked, leaning back in his chair.

“So? Masa’s not really comfortable with that kinda stuff. Shiori-senpai said you need to be at ease when you perform,” Syo answered.

“Eh… has she actually ever done any romance movies?” Otoya wondered and screeched as Syo tickled his sides.

“Don’t poke holes into my logic!”

“I’m sorry! I’m sor-ree! Ow!”

“My back…”

* * *

 

Shifting in the chair hammock she’d snagged as her own, Tomochika glanced up at a pencil tap on her knee. She moved her headphones back. “Hey, Kari, what’s up?”

The other girl smiled, putting a music sheet on Tomochika’s folder. “I’ve got a song for both you and Otoya.”

“Ooh.” Tomochika straightened, seat swaying as she looked over the notes, beaming. “Sweet! I can’t wait to put lyrics to the melody. By the way, Daiki is supposed to be back next week.”

“Good. I know I’m good at composing, but not a whole lot of songs in just a go, you know?” Hikari looked at her phone. “Otoya gets back later, so his will have to wait. I wanted to make sure to give you yours before heading to the agency.”

“Is Ryuya-sensei making you grade, too?” She asked curiously.

Hikari’s relieved face made her chuckle. “Thankfully not. Anyway, I’ll leave you to your script. See ya!”

They hugged and Tomochika flopped back against the hammock, tracing the notes with her nails, smiling faintly as excitement thrummed inside her.  _ ‘Finally, I get to sing one of Hikari’s songs! And if both her and Daiki write the songs together…’ _ She grinned wider, pulling her headphones back on.  _ ‘They’re going to be brilliant!’ _

**_-AA-_ **

Hikari entered her room after returning from the agency. She’d run, wanting to deliver the assignments and try working on the song for STARISH, but nothing was really coming to her. Dropping her stuff on the table, she went and opened her balcony door, slumping against the railing and just existing for a moment. Voices floating up to her made her open her eyes.

“Tomorrow, you’ll be studying television programs early in the morning,” Camus said to Cecil, scepter tapping lightly on his shoulder as he walked.

“Eh? That early?” Cecil recoiled in mild surprise.

“An idol must charm people.” Hikari raised a brow. “Don’t worry about such trivia difficulties. Write a report about everything you learned about today and turn it in to me.”

“Eh?”

“Is there a problem?”

“Ah, no…”

Camus walked away and Cecil got a sulky look on his face, which disappeared when he spotted her. She wiggled her fingers, inviting him up as she stepped back. Cecil glanced after Camus before moving to climb up the wall trellis.

“I have bottled green tea,” she offered, heading back into her room (and eternally grateful she’d forced herself to put her laundry away the night before).

“Please and thank you,” he said, settling on her bed. “Camus is always getting mad at me.”

Hikari passed him a bottle, settling beside him and leaning against the wall, kicking her flats off. “Are you okay? I mean, he isn’t putting too much on you, right?”

Cecil took a sip and sealed the bottle, setting it on the ground before flopping over onto her jean clad legs. “It was worse at the castle,” he mumbled and she petted his head, smiling at the fluffiness. “Your room is really relaxing.”

“It’s not like I have lavender on my balcony or anything,” she teased as he shifted onto his back, head facing her desk.

“You still have the flower?” Cecil looked at her in surprise.

“It’s an important keepsake. My promise to keep STARISH going after we’ve begun.” Hikari tugged his hair lightly. “I’ve got your sash, too, although it’s kinda a scarf now.”

“You must really love STARISH…” Cecil trailed off, frowning as he tried to gather his words. “What’s so great about them?”

He scowled weakly at the ceiling for his blunt words, but she didn’t mind, preferring things straight. “They’re enchanting. Everything they do, when they sing, when the perform, even the things they have to do on variety shows, it catches my attention totally.” Her lips quirked into a soft smile.

“You… are their prisoner…”

A squeak left him when she flicked his forehead. “Not in the way you think, goofball prince. It’s not just me they enchant. It’s their fans and anyone who watches and listens to them. It’s like a whole new world and they invite us into it with their songs.”

Cecil frowned in thought, still not comprehending, but Hikari knew he’d get it one day.

**_-AA-_ **

“Am I interrupting something?” Otoya glanced away from Masato and Tokiya to see Hikari standing in the doorway, gazing at the duo in bewilderment. “Is this for the audition?”

“Yeah,” Otoya answered, and with a small, mischievous, grin, added, “And no, Tokiya isn’t a crossdresser, sorry for the let down, Kari.”

“Excuse me?” Tokiya demanded as the girl laughed.

“I didn’t think so, but thanks for the images,” Hikari teased.

“Why doesn’t Hikari do it?” Cecil asked. “Since she’s a woman?”

The group shared looks and Hikari shrugged. “Sure, but I’m not wearing the kimono.  I’d rather not break anything.”

She looked over the script, mouthing the lines before she passed it back and headed over to start the scene. Hikari slid into her role seamlessly and it went on well until the embracing scene.

“I… I can’t do it…” Masato said weakly, collapsing to the ground.

A sigh left them collectively and Hikari tilted her head. “I don’t know what to tell you, Masato, unless you want to imagine the girl as a teddy bear or something. Shiori-nee had minor screen romances and even then that always had the love interest dying due to the movie or show being an action drama.”

“It’s fine,” Masato said grimly. “Thank you for trying.”

**_-AA-_ **

Masato headed outside, rolling his shoulders and sighing. The script wiggled in his hand as he walked to the lone tree he normally sat at when the weather was okay (but winter was coming and he wouldn’t really be able to then).

“Masato.”

Twitching in surprise, he looked up to see Aijima in the tree. “Aijima? What are you doing up there?”

“Ah, well,” the teen faltered, sheepish as he hopped down. “Camus is angry.”

“You’d rather be outside than with him,” Masato guessed and Aijima nodded. Tugging out the box of tiny chocolate covered biscuits Hikari had slipped under Tokiya’s eyes, he opened it and held it out. “Guess I’m not the only one struggling…”

“Are you sure your audition will be alright?” The prince asked as he took a biscuit, murmuring “Thank you.” “Why did you become an idol?”

“Why do you ask?” Masato returned before biting into a biscuit.

“I’m just curious.”

Masato looked at him for a moment then looked up at the sky. “I’ve always been interested in the performing arts. Knowing it would never happen, I kept my dream hidden in my heart. However, one day some people awoken my secret passion and lead me to this path.” Thoughts of Hikari singing in the park with kids came to mind, along with the first time he heard Jinguji play the saxophone. “Because of them, I’m here now. Does that answer your question?”

Aijima hummed lightly. “You must love that person.”

He stilled, biscuit between his lips as he stared wordlessly at the other teen.

Said teen didn’t notice as he stood and brushed at his pants. “You should channel that passion into your acting to succeed. Imagine the actress as the one you love, it should be easy afterwards.”

His brain… fried for lack of a better word as he immediately imagined it and felt light headed, cheeks pinkening. He couldn’t even make a noise.

“It’d be like a dream, too, right? Might as well as give it a shot… Masato, are you okay? Masato?”

* * *

 

Hikari looked up to see Masato behind her seat, Tomochika across from her in the hammock. Dropping her pencil, she caught his face in her hands, eyeing him upside down. A wide, slightly unnerving grin crossed her face. “You did it.”

“Di-Did what?” He asked warily, grabbing her wrists.

“You imagined Ren.” Tomochika answered in place of her best friend.

The male froze, eyes widening as he flicked them between magenta and verdant eyes. “How-?”

“I’m an observant person,” Hikari answered his unfinished question. “And Tomo-chan is my gossip buddy.”

Masato paled slightly. “Have you told anyone else?”

“Mmm.” They shared looks and Tomochika waved a hand. “Natsuki is a maybe, he’s pretty observant when it isn’t him. Everyone else is a no.”

“Cecil might,” Hikari mused, shifting so she had both of her friends in sight. “But he won’t say anything unless he asks you and you say yes.”

“Breath, Masato,” Tomochika advised. “Hikari can’t catch you if you faint. Not from that position.”

“I won’t.” The new voice made them jump and Cecil smiled apologetically at the girls’ scowls. “Sorry. But I won’t tell anyone.”

A weird wheeze left Masato as he leaned heavily against the couch and Tomochika quickly changed the topic, leaning to scrutinize Cecil. “Heeh, so you’re the prince everyone has spoken about. How come you never introduced yourself to me, hmmmm?”

He froze in sitting in the arm chair, blinking rapidly. “Uh, was I supposed to?”

Tomochika swung an arm out, making her hammock spin. She continued on strongly. “I am Hikari’s best friend, you goof! Of course you’re supposed to introduce yourself to me!”

“I’m sorry,” Cecil said, finally sitting down and ducking his head as Tomochika rotated back to see him, arm still out. The prince sheepishly made his introduction and the redheaded girl returned it.

“Masato, sit down before you fall over,” Hikari aimed at the blue haired male and he silently moved to settle as she pulled some bread from her bag to bite into.

_ “HIKARI!” _

The scream made her jump and look wide eyed at Ringo, whose face was pale and horrified. He was pointing at her bread.

“Wha-what are you doing?!” He sort of screech and they all looked at the bread.

“What do you mean, what am I doing?” She asked in bewilderment, swallowing the bread. “I’m eating hamster bread.”

“What?” Ringo stared at her in shock.

“Hamster bread. The features are painted.” Hikari tore the body in half, revealing the fluffy bread inside. Her eyes narrowed at him. “Did you actually think I was eating a hamster?!”

Ringo’s lips moved soundlessly. “I don’t know anymore,” he finally said, blinking and looking down at the folders in his arms. “Uh…”

“Sensei, why don’t you hand those over to Kari and go take a nap?” Tomochika suggested.

“Nap, yes. That. That sounds good. Nap,” he mumbled, placing the folders on the table and walking away silently.

“I think you broke him,” Masato said after a moment of watching the crossdresser.

“Wouldn’t be the first time I broke someone.” Hikari held out the bag. “Hamster?”

Cecil let out a helpless chuckle, accepting one. “You’re ridiculous,” he said fondly.

“They’re good, buzz off,” she grumbled and looked back at her papers.  _ ‘Where was I again…?’ _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If no one caught the MasaRen thing early on, I’ll blame my weak attempts at hinting at it. There still won’t really be romance in this unless it’s like S4, maybe. Friendship is what makes this fic move on. There’s going to be a lot more happening, too, since I’m a sucker for tying up loose ends in the anime/game (I am dragging things in the game to the anime plots, if that hasn’t been mentioned yet).
> 
> No songs this chapter (would someone mind telling me what goes on at a concert? I’ve never been to one).
> 
> See you next time!


	18. Eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

**_I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s)._ **

Boys sing in  **BOLD** **  
** Girls sing in  _ ITALICS _   
Both genders sing in  ****_BOTH_

Getting ready for the day, Hikari bounced in place. Her week was free aside from her composing, so that meant she could hang out with her cousin. She’d already gotten permission from Saotome to hang out with Dong-hae at the dorms

The day was also Cecil’s first time on a variety show and she looked forward to his and Otoya’s segments.

Dressed in a simple jeans-hoodie ensemble with her combat boots, Hikari winked at her reflection as she finished off her curly updo with fake tiny sunflower blossoms. Cecil’s sash looped around her neck, necklace underneath it. She was, of course, wearing a blue STARISH hoodie. Beneath that was a yellow scale plaid button up and black tank top. A buzz from her phone as she pulled on her bag.

**From: Oyabun**   
_ ‘Is your aunt free in two days?’ _

Hikari blinked and softened, instead messaging him Rin’s number. That done, she left her room to head out.

**_-AA-_ **

A wide, pleased smile formed on her lips as she walked with Dong-hae. He was checking his polaroid camera. “An article over both Masato and Syo’s shows. I’ll have to show everyone when I get back.”

“They kinda remind me of the Ripplers,” Dong-hae said, looking at her for a second. “I mean, they way they started out.”

“Kinda, but the Ripplers did opening acts for older groups and solo acts. How long are we going to get lost for, by the way?” Hikari asked, sliding the book into her bag and looping an arm around his shoulders, smoothing his black hair.

“Until seven. We can eat dinner then separate?” Green-yellow eyes peeked up at her.

“Sounds like a plan.” They stopped at hearing a lot of kids. Looking around, Hikari’s eyes went wide at seeing Otoya with a gaggle of children. “Otoya?”

“Your friend, right? STARISH’s leader?” Dong-hae questioned, following her to the gate.

“Un. Osika Orphanage… why does that sound familiar?” The cousins shared a blank look and Hikari whipped out her phone, messaging their aunt Noriko.

“Suspicious people! Suspicious people!” She paused and looked over to see a kid younger than Dong-hae pointing at them. Her eyes widened at the old woman behind him.

“Hikari-chan?” The woman blinked in surprise and realization hit hard.

“Kowai ro fujin?!” She blurted out, accidentally sending her phone in the air. Her fingertips caught the edge and Dong-hae smacked it back into the air when he tried to grab it, both of them colliding and hitting the ground in a heap of human limbs. “Oww…”

Her phone bounced off her cousin’s head before landing safely on her bag.

“Oww...”

**_-AA-_ **

Kiyumi Osika chuckled as she check over the cousins after sending the younger kids to class. “I see you’re as jumpy as ever, Hikari-chan.”

“You two know each other?” Otoya asked, looking between them.

“Aiko Nanami helped me set up this orphanage branch,” Kiyumi answered. “A bit before you came here.”

“It was like a set for a horror movie,” Hikari added, making a face as she straightened. “Kai-oppa had a fun time scaring the wits out of me. I can mainly handle horror movies, but not jumpscares.”

“Don’t forget the sound effects,” Dong-hae chirped.

“I will punt you, so help me.”

Another chuckle left the woman and she patted Hikari on the cheek. “I’m sorry, dears, I have something to do. Take your time, okay?”

The cousins smiled at her as she walked away.

“So you grew up here?” Dong-hae asked Otoya, curious.

“Un, my mom died and I never knew my dad.”

Hikari winced and shook her head slightly at Dong-hae’s silent question, mouthing  _ “Later.” _

He nodded and seeing Otoya start to worry, said, “Aunt Rin carried me for my dads. It was a wish for Papa for her to do so, since he wanted someone to carry on our Korean family name.”

“They would have adopted, but between getting their dual citizenship, it was really busy back then.” Hikari added and tilted her head to the side. “Didn’t they mention they might adopt a boy?”

Dong-hae nodded. “They do have a boy in mind, but wanted me to meet him first.”

Otoya chuckled and ruffled Dong-hae’s hair. “Seeing you’re just as kind as Hikari, I’m sure you’ll get along.”

“I hope so…”

A snicker left Hikari. “Dong-hae-yah’s pretty shy though, so the kid might have some trouble.”

He squawked. “Noona!”

“Are you guys doing something?” Hikari asked, catching Dong-hae’s hands and swinging them. “I noticed the arts and crafts stuff.”

“Eh? Oh yeah, we’re doing a bazaar soon. Will you two come? We’re also doing something for variety.”

They blinked in surprise.

**_-AA-_ **

“Ta-da!” He sang out, internally nervous as he showed his best friend and her cousin the room the kids were using to work in.

A squeak left Hikari as Daisuke held up a yellow umbrella spirit, it popping open. Her eyes, at first startled, softened and she gently took the umbrella.

“Umbrella kasa-obake? Are all of them yokai?” Dong-hae asked, peering at a red lantern held by Tenki.

“Un!” Tenki answered, beaming. “And we have wisps!”

A whistle left Hikari as she passed it back. “Wicked. Touma-nii would love this. He’s such a yokai nut.”

Aimi lit up as she tugged on her shirt. “Do you think he would mind coming?”

“Well, the Rippler do have a free week this week… I’m sure he and the other would love to. Is that glow-in-the-dark paint?” Hikari knelt and nodded to the maze.

“Yeah! Miss Tanaka brought some for us to use on the inside!” Kairi answered, latching onto Hikari’s other side and tugging her closer to the maze, the older girl going willingly.

“The bazaar is going to be out in the courtyard?” Dong-hae repeated when Kensei mentioned it. “Do you plan on decorating it, too?”

“Oh, well…” Kensei faltered.

“It’s okay! I think Kai-hyung has left over kusudama bouquets,”Dong-hae smiled brightly then froze, turning to Otoya sheepishly. “Uh, if it’s okay.”

“It’s fine!” Otoya reassured, seeing Hikari get caught up in the girls’ excitement. “Actually does Korea have the same thing? Yokai, I mean.”

“Mmm… I only know dokkaebi. Korean goblins that either play tricks or help out humans.” His lips pursed out. “They kinda look like oni.”

“Can you show us?” Tenki and Daisuke asked in unison.

Making a face, Dong-hae nodded. “I can try. My drawing skills aren’t the best.” 

Otoya smiled softly as the Nanamis helped the kids with the decorations, Hikari helping with the higher areas. Dong-hae awkwardly drawing and pretending to wail when he messed up, earning laughs. This place really felt like home.

“Ack, Hikari! Leave the glitter alone!”

“Eh? Why? It’s just to put in the center of the wisps!”

“Unhand the glitter, you glitter bomb fiend!”

“Buzz off!”

* * *

 

Hikari laughed as she unloaded the boxes the next day from her uncle’s van.

Byeong-su shrugged at Kiyumi’s exasperated smile. “What can I say? My husband loves decorating. Be happy he had clients.”

“Remember,” Hikari said to the kids as they came over. “Two to a box so no one gets hurt if they trip or fall.”

“Hai! Thank you for the decorations!”

**_-AA-_ **

Grabbing Otoya’s arm to steady herself, Hikari looked at an innocent Tsume. “What’s goin’ on?”

“You’re our first customers!” The girl chirped. “And haunted houses are great for customers!”

Hikari nodded solemnly even as Otoya flailed. “Of course. That’s completely understandable.” Otoya gaped at her as she grabbed his hand, turning to the doorway, only to pause and look back over her shoulder, suspicious. “Dong-hae didn’t happen to teach you how to springload some of the yokai, right?”

She got a bunch of innocent expressions and her shoulders drooped.

“That little light… C’mon, Otoya, prepare to be my human shield.”

“What?! Why me?!”

“Because you’re the guy, duh.”

They made faces at each other as the stepped into the room.

The first thing she noted were the ghosts above the maze. “Did you put those up there?” She asked curiously, looping her arm through his.

“I think it was Yuuta-san. He and Touma-san came over to help with decorating.”

A bang from the corner made her hiss in surprise and latch tighter to him. “That sounded like appa in the morning.”

A laugh left him and he tugged her forward. “Ready?”

“Let’s go so I can scold Dong-hae for giving them sound effects.”

Otoya moved first and they headed into the maze. The first thing they did was accidentally head into a dead end, Hikari stepping onto a button that let out a maniacal cackle and earned a Kazakh curse. They reversed and eyed the ground warily for more buttons, the older teen flinching at a shriek and another curse escaped. She spotted something on the wall and curiosity won just to win a roar of noise that made them collapse, staring for a moment at the ghost dangling from the ceiling, Otoya’s arm moving up to her shoulder as they bunched closer. It took them a while to get back up, Hikari restraining hysterical laughter. A glow from the end made them perk up and Hikari would deny hurrying to it.

“Sugoi… Did the children do all of this?” She stared in wonder at the twenty-three faces, animals, and objects on painted cardboard attached to the wall and ceiling. Some were even cardboard stand ups.

“Those kids…” He chuckled, releasing her arm. “This isn’t scary at all.”

The walls had trees and grass covering them, skies with clouds and she grinned brightly. “This is so cute. This would be cool to come back repeatedly.”

“Really? I guess you’re right,” he said, looking at the note she’d found. “Those kids.”

“They really are your family. Cheerful, kind, warm… I’d wondered how you grew up to be so, but surrounded by these kids… It makes me glad I came here. I feel like I can understand you better and it makes me happy.” She smiled sheepishly and hugged the note to her chest.

“Ask me anything and I’ll answer.” Otoya beamed at her surprised expression. “You’re like a sister to me, you and Tomo-chan.”

Eyes widening, she turned to him fully. “Really?”

“Yeah, I...”

A ghost popped down from the ceiling and they stared at it for a moment before she shrieked, bowling him over in her panic. The duo landed in a tangled heap.

**_-AA-_ **

“Cecil, you came?!” Otoya blurted out even as Hikari grabbed the prince by his collar.

_ “Do you want me to kick your ass?!” _

He smiled despite her manhandling. “It sounded like fun, so here I am. I hope tomorrow comes soon and I hope lots of customers come, too. I want to help.”

The next day, Hikari nearly ran into Otoya at the gate, him grabbing her before she could fall. She still held out the flyer. “There’s a big flea market on the other side of the station!”

“A flea market, huh?” Susumu repeated, eyes lowering. Hikari froze in mild panic, never good with tears.

Otoya must have noticed both reactions because he smiled and clapped his hands once, catching everyone’s attention. “Come on, what are you supposed to do when you’re feeling down? Cheer up! Let’s go!

**It’s a dazzling Shining day! Running late and nearly missing the Last train** **  
** **Like a heart frozen in three seconds**

**With these vivid Searching eyes, what are these feelings?** **  
** **So that my throbbing heart won’t be exposed…**

**Each distance is like one fret from a guitar** **  
** **With a tuning smile, are the preparations good? Are you ready!?**

**Trust myself! Let's join hands! Trust your dream, a world for just us two!** **  
** **The greatest Ride! The signal’s All blue!!** **  
** **Trust my song! Don’t be afraid! The sky is endless! My heart's a Rave!** **  
** **Hey, let's go on a continuous sound! Come on, become the resounding wind!**

**Why is it? In the Missing time, you might become tense and angry** **  
** **If that time comes, please Remember the song that brought us together!**

**The tensing destiny, is this impulse fate?** **  
** **I fell in love after one measure!**

**The truth is, I want to treasure you even more, but** **  
** **I still can't control the volume of this awkward love... But I love you!**

**Believe myself! Let's kiss! Believe my dream! Look into my eyes!** **  
** **This love of overflowing so much!** **  
** **Believe your song! Hey, listen! Feel the beat of my heart! On the Stage of dreams** **  
** **Hey, let’s fly over the rainbow! Come on, come along with me!**

**I'll swear here! To surely become a melody just for you,** **  
** **I will try to believe! Let’s go towards a miracle just for two! Are you ready!?**

**Trust in us! Let's join hands! Trust our dream, a world for just us two!** **  
** **The greatest Ride! The signal’s All blue!!** **  
** **Trust our song! Don't be afraid! The sky is endless! My heart's a Rave!** **  
** **Hey, let’s go on a continuous sound! Come on, become the resounding wind**

Applause from the gate made them look over, seeing a group of people at the gate. The kids perked up and about half practically teleported over to them as the other half went to the tables. A wry smile tugged at her lips and she shared a look with Otoya. “Wanna set up a radio?”

“Bears!” Aimi cried suddenly, ducking behind Kairi.

“Eh?” They stared at their friends in shock, struck speechless. Hikari wordlessly pulled her phone out and began taking pictures. “Poor Tokiya and Masato.”

“Patience of saints,” she murmured and waved at the group of seven coming up from behind. “Hey, family!”

A shriek left Tenki and he tackled Dong-hae. “You came!” The little bundle of energy didn’t hesitate to sweep the Ripplers, Dong-hae, and Shiori into looking around. Sharing another look, Hikari and Otoya both moved to assist, seeing more people come into the courtyard. She paused at seeing her aunt Rin, the glacial beauty with dark brown hair (the color of her grandmother’s before it faded to white) and the signature green-yellow eyes of the family. The woman nodded to Kiyumi and looped her arm through Saotome’s, slowly moving to the old woman.

“Otoya,” she said softly. 

“Hmm?”

“They need you inside.”

Otoya blinked at her then followed her gaze to the trio of adults heading inside. He was obviously confused but headed off inside, leaving her to the kids.

“What’s going on?” Daisuke asked curiously.

She smiled slightly. “Just a talk is all.”  _ ‘I hope it goes well. Otoya, please don’t be angry with me.’ _

* * *

 

That night, Hikari entered Saotome’s office and shut the door, music folder in hand. “I come bearing songs.”

Saotome gave her a distracted smile, but didn’t respond, sunglasses off as he stared at a picture frame.

She set the sheets down on the coffee table and leaned to look, him absently shifting so she could and a wide grin formed on her face. “Aww, Otoya made a cute kid. Who’s the lady?”

“Aijima Katsuki,” Saotome answered, tracing her face. “She was Kotomi’s fraternal twin sister...”

“Otoya must have gotten the wild hair from her, then.” Hikari looked at him. “She never said a word, did she?”

He shook his head. “She didn’t really like me and shut me out after Kotomi disappeared. I never knew I had a son, only that Katsuki did and she raised him until her illness caught up to her.”

Hikari reached over and squeezed his shoulder. “I’m sorry… have you told him about Cecil? Or even told Cecil at all?”

Another head shake. “I didn’t want to drop a bunch of information on either of them at once. Plus, I need to get in contact with King Aibek. If Kotomi does have amnesia…” Saotome trailed off.

“More complications,” Hikari finished. “Well, if you need anything, support or just an ear, my family is there for you.”

At that, he finally looked up at her and smiled warmly. “Of course. Thank you again.”

“No problem. Besides, this just means you’ve got a heir to take over for you later on.” Saotome stilled, stunned at the thought. “You never thought of that, huh?”

He wordlessly shook his head. “No, I haven’t.”

“Well… you have now.” She shrugged at his flat look. “At least you don’t have three kids to try appoint as heir like Aunt Noriko.”

“Mm. Fair enough.”


	19. Nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

 

**_Knock Knock Knock_ **

Halfway till morning, squinting as she rolled onto her, back, Hikari sat up, shoving her eye mask up, and stared at her hall door. She blinked a few times. “It’s open.”

The door opened slowly, like the person was nervous.

“Otoya?”

“Uh…” The redhead shifted, head ducking as he stepped in and closed the door.

They stared at each other. “Are you mad that I didn’t tell you?” She finally asked, easily knowing what this was about.

Otoya shook his head slowly, frowning in the dim light. “Uh, not mad…. more… uh…” He flailed a hand.

“Bewildered? Frazzled? Half happy, half sad?” She offered.

“All of it. I think. I mean, the only family I had was my aunt then Kiyumi-baa-chan and the kids at the orphanage…” Otoya faltered again, staring blankly at nothing.

“It just means you’re family’s gotten bigger.” Hikari rubbed her face. “I know mine has gotten bigger with you guys in it… us Nanamis still have to kidnap Ren’s brothers, too…”

A startled laugh left her friend before they both fell silent.

“Okay, come on.” Otoya blinked at her in confusion. “There’s another blanket and pillow in my cabinet. We can top and tail.”

“E-Eh? Are you sure?”

“Otoya, it’s late. Hurry up.”

“Hai!” A squawk and a thud. “Why do you have a table in the middle of your room?!”

“Because I’m too lazy to move it to the side.”

**_-AA-_ **

Hikari startled as Ren dropped across her lap, making her blink. “Ren?”

He let out an agonized groan.

She eyed him, placed her notebook down and tugged the folded packet from his back pocket, flipping through it. Tomochika leaned down over her shoulder, reading it, too. “Oh, our poor strawberry boy,” the darker redhead cooed, reaching to stroke his hair.

“I still haven’t told my brothers,” he muttered.

“About the family connection?” Hikari hazarded a guess.

He nodded, pressing his cheek to a pillow as he looked at her and Tomochika. “We haven’t talked in a while and I wouldn’t know where to start.”

“Start with ‘hello’ and ‘how have you been’,” Tomochika offered in deadpan. A snicker left Hikari as Ren rolled his eyes.

“We could also just kidnap them,” Hikari suggested. “Kidnap them before Ryuu can come around and vanish them to the Nanami house.”

“What, after the fashion show?” Blue eyes blinked in thought.

“Un. Everyone except the Ripplers will be there since they went on tour. We can even get the rest of STARISH and Cecil.”

“It’d be like throwing them into the deep end,” Tomochika coaxed, moving to lay along the back of the couch, toying with Hikari’s hair now.

“I just might do that. Help me?” Ren asked.

“That is my free day along with Tomo-chan’s.” Hikari began only to stop.

“Oh ho? Are our kohai planning something?” Reiji asked, walking up with the rest of his bandmates behind him, Ranmaru to his left as Ai walked behind the leader, Camus behind the bassist.

Hikari beamed brightly, hand moving to hold Tomochika steady beforehand. “We’re planning an orgy! Want to join in?”

Camus spat his tea out, hitting Ranmaru who could only stare blankly along with Ai. Reiji tripped and faceplanted. Tomochika nearly fell backwards with laughter and Ren was shaking, hiding his face in the pillow. Hikari was pleased, even when Ringo scolded her after overcoming his shock (he and Ryuya had walked up from behind (she could see Ryuya trying not to laugh, hiding his face whenever he shook too much and Ringo turned to him ( _ HIKARI WON _ ))).

* * *

 

“So Chokichi is the middle son… Wonder what he’s like,” Hikari mumbled, clipping her VIP pass to her bag as she made her way to where she’d meet Tomochika and Cecil in the stadium (the latter wanted to see what went on with a fashion show). She glanced up, hearing Tomochika. “Yo! You guys are late!”

Her redheaded friend hugged her, Cecil smiling from behind. “Traffic was horrible,” Tomochika moaned, slouching before releasing Hikari. Her eyes darted down and she squeaked, beginning to flail and nearly smacked Cecil who merely caught her arm. “You’ve got VIP access?!”

“Shh!” Hikari hissed, eyeing the girls nearby and tugged them closer. “The Namis have been using the Aria Hall forever, ever since Great-Aunt Utaka was alive and terrorized them into letting the Namis have a first come first serve thing.”

“I don’t understand,” Cecil said quietly, letting her hold his wrist and lead the way. “Is this place really popular?”

“Un!” Tomochika swooned slightly. “It’s been used for a lot of fashion shows when it isn’t in use for minor concerts and plays, not to mention variety shows. Oh, speaking of…” Hikari leaned away, into Cecil as fuschia eyes turned to her verdant ones pleadingly.

“Why am I feeling worried?” She asked wryly.

Clasping her hands together, Tomochika said, “‘On the Flipside,’ the urban action variety show, is asking the Shining Agency for upcoming singers, actors, and composers.”

Hikari stumbled. “What?! Since when?”

“Since after STARISH debuted,” Tomochika said and expanded for a bewildered Cecil. “It’s a world-wide famous variety show, even visiting other countries for games.”

“Not even the Ripplers and Shiori-nee have gotten on it,” Hikari added. “It’s uber famous. Are you getting on there?!”

“Me, you, and Daiki!” Tomochika squealed as they entered the VIP area. “Shining-san was going to call us to his office, but when he heard our plans for the day, he had Sayumi-shishou pass it along.”

“I haven’t even done my concert yet,” Hikari squeaked. “When?!”

“Two weeks from now,” Tomochika answered.

“Oh my stars…” Hikari fought to focus, blinking at Cecil’s portable CD player. “You brought the songs?”

“Un,” he said, blinking as he pulled out the six discs. “I’ll wait patiently for mine.”

“It’s starting!” Tomochika cut in. “Where do we sit?”

The trio got settled quickly, Hikari between Cecil and Tomochika. Their eyes were focused on the catwalk.

**“JBC!”** The announcer rumbled.  **“It’s starting now!”**

Tomochika pointed suddenly. “Isn’t that Seiichiro-san and Chokichi-san?”

Following her finger, Hikari nodded. “Yeah. And the older man beside them is Ikeda Ryuu.”

“Eesh, he looks like a grumpy old man,” Tomochika grumbled.

The two girls fell silent, watching in quiet before Ren appeared. They burst into cheers at the sight of him and Hikari winked when he caught sight of the three. He winked back and the big screen caught it, earning louder screams from the fans. Ren began making his way down the catwalk, only to stop as the lights and music went out.

Hikari frowned in the gloom, looking around with concern.

“Did the power go out?” Tomochika wondered.

“The backup generators will take a while,” Hikari said, standing to peer over the railing, into the crowds. Her eyes caught Ren and he mouthed something, making her blink as she barely managed to make out an apology. “Ren?”

Cecil and Tomochika stepped up behind her.

**“Listen up, ladies, gents! It’s alright!”** His voice echoed through the hall.  **“Don’t you think there are feelings better conveyed in the dark? I feel like we can hear each other’s breaths and hearts.”**

“What is he doing?” Tomochika asked.

**“Listen, my lady,”** Ren continued. “With my song, I want to… light up your hearts!”

The crowd burst into shrieks of delight and realization hit Hikari like lightning. “Cecil!” He jumped, turning to her. “Let me have Ren’s CD!”

“Ah, hai.” He passed it over to her and she kicked her heels off, bolting after grabbing her VIP card. Not for the first time, she was grateful for the gymnastic lessons she took as she flipped through the stairway, CD safe in her hands as she landed on the first landing. Hikari held up her card up to a security guard before moving through the doorway. Her feet smacked loudly against the tiles and she slammed into the hall’s operating room.

“Where do I put - nevermind, move!” She slid past a man, seeing Ren on a security screen and shoved the CD into a tray before closing it and making it play.

**“Hey Lady… Can you hear?** **  
** **Transmitted in every sigh** **  
** **Is an invitation… to an amazing dream**

**To keep the moon afloat in the night sky,** **  
** **It’s encircled by the stars, dreaming & dancing** **  
** **With shining beauty and splendor,** **  
** **Give me, give me a young lady’s “love call”**

**Hold up your heart’s light** **  
** **Yes, get up, get up, get up! Once more, get up, get up, get up!** **  
** **Thank you! This great mood engulfed in love** **  
** **Was created by everyone here** **  
** **In this sea of starlight,** **  
** **I kiss you for eternity**

**Together, let’s light the world with orange-colored flames** **  
** **Let’s release these passionate emotions** **  
** **Believe that this rhapsody resonating with those feelings,** **  
** **No matter the darkness,** **  
** **This song shall sparkle**

**On this journey in search of true love,** **  
** **Take me along, dreaming & dancing** **  
** **Only centimeters away from your lips,** **  
** **Seeming to trip, I’ll give you, give you a “sweet kiss”**

**I want to feel your voices!** **  
** **Yes, get up, get up, get up! Once more, get up, get up, get up!** **  
** **Thank you! Our fingers intertwined, see,** **  
** **Even this tantalizing time** **  
** **Doesn’t seem so bad, right? …Now,** **  
** **I kiss you, come this way**

**Together, let’s see this orange-colored dream to its end** **  
** **Until this love burns down to zero** **  
** **With this miraculous, once-in-a-lifetime rhapsody,** **  
** **There’s no need for words** **  
** **As our hearts become this song**

**Together, let’s light the world with orange-colored flames** **  
** **Let’s release these passionate emotions** **  
** **Believe that this rhapsody resonating with those feelings,** **  
** **No matter the darkness,** **  
** **This song shall sparkle**

**Hey Lady… Can you hear?** **  
** **Try closing your eyes** **  
** **…I’m by your side!”**

A happy sigh left her as they pulled it off and she pulled her phone out of her inner jacket pocket, sending out a message to both Ren and Tomochika, spotting a man on another security screen.

**_-AA-_ **

“Seiichiro-nii,” a voice called out from behind, making the elder Jinguji brothers pause. “Chokichi-nii.”

Seiichiro turned and blinked in surprise at his littlest brother. “Ren?”

“Are you two busy? Any meeting?” Ren asked, frowning at the long haired girl beside him when she grinned wickedly. Another teen was with them, green eyes blinking with innocence as he looked between the four, heels in his hands.

Sharing confused looks, Seiichiro shook his head. “We have nothing else today, why?”

“Sweet!” The girl chirped and Ren became resigned. “The Nanamis - you know the Nanamis, right? With the entertainment industry? - They want to meet with you two.”

“Like a business meeting?” Chokichi asked curiously, blinking rapidly as she grabbed their hands and began tugging them to the parking lot.

“Kinda, by the way, I’m Tomochika Shibuya! This is Cecil Aijima!” She said, nodding to the quiet teen.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Aijima said, nodding.

“It’s nice to meet you as well, do you work with Ren?” Seiichiro asked, pulling his phone out to alert his driver. He stopped near the van she was leading them to. “Oh, wait Uncle Ryuu-”

“Nope!” Ren said, snatching his phone before ducking into the silver van, Aijima and Shibuya right behind him. “Our sachon is dealing with him. Come on.”

Seiichiro and Chokichi shared looks before following the teens into the vehicle.

“Yo,” the bald man in the driver’s seat said, nodding to them. “I’m Ichiro, I’ll be acting as your driver. Ren, where’s the bratling?”

Glancing back, he blinked at the oddly satisfied smile on Ren’s face, buckling in. “She’s dealing with Ryuu.”

Ichiro grimaced and shook his head wordlessly as he reached over to open the passenger door.

“I don’t understand,” Seiichiro said slowly, staring between the two males, Chokichi also puzzled. “What is she doing?”

“Who is ‘she’?” Chokichi added, only to jump as a blur slammed into the passenger seat, slamming the door shut.

“Ichi, drive!” The newest girl gasped, slapping a hand against the panel and locking the doors. Glitter covered her lightly.

“Why is it always glitter with you?!” Ichiro snapped even as he started the van and jerked her seatbelt in place. “Why are you such a pain?!”

“It’s not my fault the staff are okay with glitter!” She shot back, clicking her seatbelt and waving at someone through her window as Ichiro drove off. She spun in her seat, beaming at him and Chokichi. “Sachon! It’s nice to see you two in person!”

“Little flower, I haven’t told them yet,” Ren called in amusement.

“Told us what?” Chokichi blurted out in confusion.

“My name is Hikari Nanami,” the girl answered, smile softening. “Your mother’s my uncle’s stepsister. Sachon means cousin in Korean.”

They froze. “Cousin?” He repeated.

“Un. We’ve been trying to get a hold of you, but Ryuu, Uncle Haruto’s brother, kept preventing it.” Hikari held a hand up. “He’s been coursing through legal hoops, with calls, and whatever else. Hence the minor kidnapping.”

“Minor, she says,” Shibuya muttered and earned a startled laugh from Aijima.

**_-AA-_ **

Entering the house, Hikari disappeared to shower and change and Ren, his brothers, and Cecil followed Tomochika into an enclosed room where the rest of STARISH were along with Hideaki, Noriko, Haruto, Byeong-su, and Dong-hae.

“Sachon!” Dong-hae called, beaming as he twisted away from the painting he was doing with Natsuki and Otoya.

Haruto was already swooping upon his older brothers, so Ren went to accept the hug from Dong-hae. “Hey, little one,” he greeted. “Minna.”

“Aunt Rin, Aunt Han-na, and dad are cooking. Shiori-unnie is changing.” Dong-hae’s words were muffled before he pulled away from Ren. He dropped behind the preteen.

“Dad… that’s Uncle Chanyeol, right?” Ren reiterated, making sure and Dong-hae nodded as he reached for his paintbrush. 

Dong-hae began squabbling childishly with Natsuki over the colors, Otoya offering minor jabs as he painted the background. Ren looked around the room, taking in the sight of his bandmates and family. Haruto was speaking with Seiichiro and Chokichi, both wearing startled looks as they listened. Noriko and Hideaki were talking with Byeong-su about something. Syo perked up when Shiori came over to him, Chu dashing to barrel into the small blond. The older girl offered a wink when Ren smirked at the faint blush on Syo’s cheeks and she leaned closer to Syo. Cecil was asking Tokiya more about the entertainment industry. Masato was with them, sometimes chiming in but ultimately focused on a calligraphy book. A small smile tugged Ren’s lips up as the bluenet traced the pages.

A crash from the hall followed by Han-na scolding her daughter for running sounded and earned mild laughter. Ren shifted so he was sprawled out on the bench, eyes closing as he rested his head on a stray pillow. He was comfortable, surrounded by people he didn’t need his guard up against. Ren drifted to sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only song this chapter is “Orange Rhapsody” from S2E6. Um… Chokichi is an OC, mainly, since despite getting a mere “Middle Jinguji” line on Seiichiro’s and Ren’s profiles, he has nothing more than that. (ALSO, THERE IS MINOR HINTING AT CRUSHES AND RELATIONSHIPS, BUT THAT’S PROBABLY AS FAR AS IT’LL GO FOR A WHILE!)
> 
> See you next time!


	20. Twenty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

Hikari frowned in mild confusion as she flipped through the music sheets Daiki had passed on to her, walking down the pathway to find Syo. A sigh escaped her as she put it away in the folder then her bag. She clicked her boot heels sharply on the stone path, making most of her boys look over. "Syo, can I speak with you? It's important."

The blond blinked and nodded, jogging over and leaning down. "What's up?"

Shifting so her back was to the others, she spoke quickly. "They don't want Natsuki."

"What?" He looked at her in confusion.

"They don't want Natsuki," she repeated. "They want Satsuki. The cameraman saw the concert hijacking and took a liking to him then."

"This isn't good," he muttered. "Satsuki's a bit of a stiff when it comes to stuff like this."

"Hey." They turned back around as Otoya called out. "What's wrong?"

She and Syo looked at each other for a moment and she sighed. "What do you remember from the HAYATO concert, Tokiya?" She asked, looking at the vocalist.

He blinked at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"How Natsuki acted when he took over the concert," Syo explained.

"I… he was more aggressive, kind of." Tokiya frowned. "Why?"

"That's Natsuki's other personality, Satsuki," Hikari said. "He comes out when Natsuki isn't wearing glasses."

Tokiya's eyes widened then. "And he wasn't at the concert."

"Why does he have another personality?" Masato asked, looking at Syo.

Said blond shrugged. "I don't know. He doesn't remember anything as Satsuki, either."

"And the only way to revert that is to put the glasses back on. He's really strong… and I'm worried about the ad." Hikari quirked a wry smile at their looks. "They might ask him to take his glasses off, get the same feel from the concert."

"We can't even ask him about it…" Otoya puffed his cheeks out.

"He has to do it himself," Syo muttered in affirmation.

Hikari sighed softly and tapped her bag in mild worry.

* * *

Spinning in the computer chair she'd dragged into the practice room, Hikari sighed and stopped the spinning abruptly, swaying dizzily before she dropped and sprawled out on the ground. Catching her bearings, Hikari tugged a music sheet close and looked it over.

"Lyrics, lyrics," she singsonged and groaned, flopping her arm to the side. "I need a song for when Daiki and I appear on 'On the Flipside' to showcase our composing and my singing. Maybe with Tomochika? Nah, she's got her own entry song…"

Staring at the ceiling, she heaved a sigh and pushed herself up to sit criss cross and look over the sheets, pulling it over and stood up, walking over to the piano. Trailing her fingers down it, she began playing the first few staffs, humming when she realized it reminded her of something. Something from way back. Her eyes darted to the side and tugged a clean sheet closer, pencil in hand as she dug into her phone, flipping through her apps. Pulling up a sheet document from nearly three years ago, she began putting it on the sheet for a full view, grabbing another when she needed to.

A wry smile pulled at her lips, thinking, ' _Shoulda known they'd be containing the same elements.'_

Hikari pulled out another sheet, combining the two songs until it was down. Her head bobbed lightly and she put her phone on record, setting it on the piano top as she began to sing.

" _I won't just survive_  
Oh, you will see me thrive  
Can't write my story  
I'm beyond the archetype

 _I won't just conform_  
No matter how you shake my core  
'Cause my roots — they run deep, oh

 _Oh, ye of so little faith_  
Don't doubt it, don't doubt it  
Victory is in my veins  
I know it, I know it  
And I will not negotiate  
I'll fight it, I'll fight it  
I will transform

 _When, when the fire's at my feet again_  
And the vultures all start circling  
They're whispering, "You're out of time,"  
But still I rise

 _This is no mistake, no accident_  
When you think the final nail is in  
Think again, don't be surprised  
I will still rise

 _I must stay conscious_  
Through the madness and chaos  
So I call on my angels  
They say

 _Oh, ye of so little faith_  
Don't doubt it, don't doubt it  
Victory is in your veins  
You know it, you know it  
And you will not negotiate  
Just fight it, just fight it  
And be transformed

 _'Cause when, when the fire's at my feet again_  
And the vultures all start circling  
They're whispering, "You're out of time,"  
But still I rise

 _This is no mistake, no accident_  
When you think the final nail is in  
Think again, don't be surprised  
I will still rise  
Oh, oh, oh, oh

 _And I still rise_  
Don't be surprised  
I will still rise."

Hikari trailed off and stopped recording, relieved that it caught her lyrics and she began putting them on the combined song. A song from America began playing as she jotted down her lyrics. "Done!" She crowed and jumped at a startled screech, whirling on her bench to look at a flustered Daiki.

"Sorry!" He blurted out, face turning red beneath his glasses. "I just - I heard you in the hall and it sounded amazing - was it all my song i gave you because it didn't sound like it - are you going to sing it on the show - ?"

Laughing, Hikari moved to hug him. "I planned on it, but only if you accompany me on piano. Need to show off your skills, too."

He carefully returned the hug, blushing further. "I'm not ready," he admitted, pulling away. "I mean, you've at least acted before in front of a camera, but me…"

"It's not scripted, so you can act like yourself. I plan on doing that since I'm also a Nanami and a member of Shining Agency, both agencies with eccentric directors even if Oyaji retired." Hikari smirked and moved to pick up her stuff; a laugh bubbled up into a cackle, making Daiki freeze in helping her. "Guess it helps I know one of the hosts - he's gonna hate me~"

Daiki stared at her as she moved to put her things away. "She's crazy," he mumbled.

_**-AA-** _

"Natsuki!" Hikari called, jogging over in a pair of combat boots, dark blue skinny jeans, and a yellow STARISH hoodie. "Ready?" Stuffing her phone away, she tugged her hair into a braid.

"Kari-chan, yeah," he replied, smiling brightly.

"I didn't keep you waiting, did I?" Hikari worried, falling into step beside him as he stood and began walking.

"It's okay, I arrived early. Going out with you is like a dream, so I… Oh, thank you for going out of your way to accompany," Natsuki said, looking down at her.

"It's cool, really. Trying to come up with songs, my mind was spinning. I was with Daiki and Tomo-chan earlier. We've got some songs, a few that I need to get to Otoya…" A groan left her and she slumped against him. "Why do I have to plan a full concert? Why can't I just sing a song over and over again?"

Natsuki laughed, dropping an arm around her. "Because you aren't dancing," he said teasingly. "Dancing makes it seem longer, but you can't so you need more songs to make it longer."

"Gross," Hikari drawled. They fell silent and she breathed in the fall air, slightly excited for Halloween - and it was Cecil's birthday, so she was feeling more than a bit mischievous this year. Her thoughts paused when Natsuki did and she looked up at him as he stepped away a bit. "Natsuki?"

"I have a favor to ask you, Kari-chan," Natsuki said quietly, firmly.

"What is it?" She tilted her head curiously.

He took a deep breath. "I want you to be only my Kari-chan today. I love you so, so much. I want you all to myself." Natsuki had a hopeful smile on his lips.

Her brain shorted out for a moment, but Hikari was quick to catch herself. Holding out her hand, palm up, she said simply, "Today."

The blond beamed and reached for her hand, only to pause and lift his bag. "Oh, wait, I wanted to show you something."

Hikari perked up at the sight of the sheet, gently taking it. "You finished the lyrics?" Her lips quirked up at his nod. "Strength, resolve… you didn't write this with your usual mindset, huh?"

"You can tell?" She nodded at his surprised look. "Honestly, I feel like someone's been protecting me my whole life, but I know it can't go on this way. I want to become stronger… Kari-chan, will you support me?"

"Of course," she said immediately and smiled warmly. "Just don't forget, even if you don't want to fully rely on your protector anymore, you still can from time to time."

"Hai!" He smiled warmly back before gently taking her hand, cradling it in his as they moved.

_**-AA-** _

Hikari slapped her cheeks lightly as she stared into the mirror, water dripping down her cheeks before she wiped the drops away and stepped out of the bathroom to join Natsuki on his lunch break.

She followed him to the roof, seeing something weighing on his mind. They settled on a bench and Hikari put down her bag, stretching her legs out, waiting for him to say something.

"This is pathetic," he sighed quietly. "It's hard being strong, isn't it? I can't…"

"People have different strengths, Tsuki," she murmured. "You can do it, so long as you work hard for it, and I know you will."

"Kari-chan…?"

"Your lyrics held your desire for change and change is hard for even the strongest person."

"You're right. You're exactly right." Natsuki smiled faintly. "I can't get discouraged here. I'll do my best."

Her eyes fluttered shut. "I'll be here to help you." She shifted and lightly gripped his clasped hands.

His hands shifted, catching hers. "Thank you, Kari-chan. I actually have a secret plan," he spoke as his hands shifted, one disappearing. "The cameraman suggested for me to take off my glasses. I think it will change my aura, too…"

She didn't release his hand even as he trailed off. Not opening her eyes, she said, "I'm not letting go even if you're present, Tsuki-yah." The clattering noise alerted her to the glasses falling.

"You think you can help Natsuki?" He returned lowly, squeezing her hand tightly.

Opening her eyes, she lolled her head so she was looking into sharp dark green eyes. "I merely said I'd be here to help, that's all."

He squeezed tighter and it took all her acting skills to act like it didn't bug her. "I'm the one protecting Natsuki… from  _everyone_  who tries to hurt him. People like you are the most dangerous. Those who pretend to be kind and approach Natsuki."

"I don't like to pretend. It's too similar to my liking," she stated. Jerking her arm and twisting, Satsuki was forced to come closer, faces close. "And I don't lie. I may not say anything, but never lie. I'm not like whoever you're trying to compare me to."

Green eyes went wide in surprise before narrowing darkly. "That woman stole his song, that  _he_ wrote, and disappeared. I was born from Natsuki's despair."

"Any song I have has either been written for me as a gift or an assignment, or simply written by my hand or remixed with the proper dedications." She squeezed his hand roughly, taking care not to squeeze too hard. Her teeth bared in a smile. "I'd sooner lose my ability to write than steal a song."

"I'm really supposed to believe that?" He let out a mocking laugh, making them both shake. "I'll stand in for Natsuki… and maybe pick up where we left off."

Hikari ignored the minor threat. "You'd shake his confidence, then? Just like that woman?"

They faintly heard the call of Syo, but ignored him as Satsuki jerked away, freeing himself before looming over her, caging her against the bench. A crack sounded out as he stepped on the glasses. "Excuse me?"

"Natsuki knows you exist, how else would he be trying to change and become stronger? It would be the only way to pay you back for all that you've done-"

"And how would you know that?" He snapped, looming closer. "How could you even think he'd want that when it could hurt him-"

"He wrote a song for you!" She raised her voice, pushing from the bench and standing chest to chest with Satsuki; her voice lowered to a hiss as their friends faltered, almost half the courtyard away where they stopped. "Natsuki is so much stronger than I am and you're stronger than the both of us - the lyrics he wrote for the song  _I_ gave him are for you. Not me, not Syo, and definitely not that hag who stole his precious song, it's you!"

"You-" He began, but he was faltering and Hikari pushed forward, figuratively and physically, hand waving towards the bag.

""I sing for you,"If I could just reach out my hand, we'd become one," "I want to walk together/ so I'll have the power to protect-" they're aimed at you, Satsuki! Natsuki's to open to hide his feelings and he'd definitely never lie about something like this." She stared at him for a moment before whirling to her bag, jerking it open and pulling out the lyrics. Catching his wrist, she forced him to take the paper and look at the words. Quietly, Hikari continued, "You know Natsuki so well it blinds you to things that are so ingrained in him you can't notice them. He told me earlier he felt like there was someone protecting him his whole life and doesn't want to depend solely on his protector. It's why I did offer my help. He'll crash and burn like a meteorite if he does and it won't be for the best like a shooting star."

"You're so serious about him… why?"

Hikari couldn't lie to him. "Because I nearly did when Haruka died. My best friend and keeper of my secrets, my heart - I don't want anything like that to happen to my friends, let alone you and Natsuki." Her eyes batted, fighting the tears trying to come out. Green eyes focused hard on her.

"Hey! Is something going on?" They all looked to see Cecil coming up on the duo's side of the rooftop.

"Cecil? Why're you wearing glasses?" Hikari looked at him in disbelief and he beamed as he walked closer. The trio ignored Syo's panicky sputters.

"Disguises are a part of the fundamentals for idols," he answered, pulling the glasses off.

She tried, she really, really did, but the words slipped out in Kazakh anyway. " _The only idol thing you're known for is an Avatar rip off."_

He gaped at her then jabbed the glasses at her fiercely. " _I'll have you know I don't just spirit walk for horrible reasons, like that childish airbender."_

An offended gasp left her.

"Heh." The stopped their banter cold and turned wide eyes on Satsuki as he plucked the glasses from Cecil's hand. "I can see why Natsuki likes you."

Hikari watched blankly as he slid the glasses, Natsuki coming back. "Eh? Cecil-kun, what are you doing here? And why am I holding my lyrics, Kari-chan?"

Cecil looked up at him in confusion, then at her in bewilderment and she sighed heavily. "You're so high maintenance, Tsuki. Eat your lunch before you have to go shoot again."

_**-AA-** _

Cecil lightly nudged her side, making her look at him distractedly. His eyes were twinkling in amusement. " _You're drooling."_

" _I am not,"_ Hikari said defensively even as her hand came up to her mouth and he laughed. She stepped on his toes, scowling and blushing. " _I saw you, too, getting hot under the collar much?"_

His skin darkened in a blush and he coughed. " _I, uh, I don't know what you're talking about. He does wear my sunglasses well… why are you looking at me like that?"_

" _Are relationships different in Agnapolis?"_  Hikari asked, sipping her water bottle as the rest of STARISH went to speak with Natsuki. " _I mean, my uncles had to go through loops to get married and have Dong-hae as their son and you seem rather… open, for Japan and Korean tastes at least/"_

" _Oh, yes, they are. Homosexual relationships and polygamous relationships are accepted in Agnapolis. The gods and goddesses are along with the Muses, so it's all legal as well. It's the same in Permafrost."_ Cecil blinked at her. " _Do you want me to get you a book on the culture of both countries? I think we have some back at the palace…"_

Blinking rapidly, she nodded as her eyes went to her boys as they group spoke to each other. " _Yes, please."_

" _Want me to see if I can get some of Natsuki's pictures?"_ He asked slyly and she started to nod, only to glower at him dangerously.

"Stop it." He threw his head back and laughed. Hikari rolled her eyes and flopped against him, nearly knocking him down. "You're such a pain."

_**-AA-** _

Otoya couldn't help sharing wary looks with his bandmates as their seniors caught up to them. It wasn't that they disliked them, more like they were a bit… overbearing.

A shriek caught their attention. Looking down the hall, he blinked as Hikari ran down it.

"Hikari?" Tokiya called, face even warier.

She waved and beamed. "Hey, boys, senpai! Bye, senpai, boys!" That rushed out, Hikari threw herself over the railing in a flip and Otoya rushed to look after her, seeing her roll and rush off.

"Excuse me!" A voice yelled from behind and Cecil shot over the railing after her. "Hikari! Get back here!"

"No way! You're gonna hit me!"

They stared wordlessly.

"At least there's no glitter," Masato said after a moment.

"That we know of," Syo muttered and started down the hall. "Didn't she just come from the dorms?"

Sharing even warier looks, Otoya and the rest of STARISH followed the blond, worried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boyce Avenue Cover of Katy Perry's "Rise" is the first song. Also, catnip (cackles).


	21. Twenty-One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

Hikari was almost bouncing off the waiting room walls and Daiki watched in mild fascination. "Hikari-chan, how much sugar have you had?" He asked curiously.

"None!" She chirped. "Not enough, I can tell you now! Might crash later, I really hope we don't wait too long, I really want to do something!"

A knock at the door and it opening, showing an assistant and the man was already talking. "Nanami-san, Yajima-san, we're… ready for you…?" He jumped as Hikari tackled him into a hug.

"Sweet! Let's go, Daiki!" She cheered, coming back and tugging him after her.

"H-hai…" Daiki smiled apologetically at the bemused man, letting her tug him on.

_**-AA-** _

Tomochika grinned as she listened to her best friend sing, the platform she and Daiki were on spinning until the piano bench was closest and Hikari slid off the piano top, bowing with Daiki at the end as those already there applauded.

Kenta Todoroki, the male host, stepped forward. "I see you've gotten more mature, Hikari-san," he greeted.

A laugh left her friend. "Only a little, sunbae-nim."

"Oh?" Chiyo Higurashi voiced, looking between them. "You two know each other?"

"Only a little." Kenta nodded to Hikari as she and Daiki fell into place beside Tomochika. "Hikari Nanami's how I got classified as "That Glitter Guy!" on "A Kitsune's Love.""

"And he's why I love glitter," Hikari said with a playful wink. "They can support that."

Tomochika and Daiki nodded. "Don't forget Saotome-shishou," she teased her friend.

Chiyo perked up. "Glitter wars?"

"Too many," Daiki muttered and the girls laughed. "I'm Daiki Yajima. Let's have a good time."

Shaking his head, Kent motioned to a platform on the other side. "We have three more guests," he announced. "Only this time, they're from the rivals of Shining Agency, Raging Agency!"

The three still applauded, Daiki absently tugging Hikari back as she bounced too much in front. Tomochika watched curiously as three boys appeared.

"First up is Eiji Ootori!" The lone brunet smiled softly and bobbed his head in greeting.

"Next is Shion Amakusa!" The boy with white hair gave a simple nod, face composed.

"Finally, we have Yamato Hyuga!" The last boy… honestly, he reminded Tomochika of a stuffed bear, with his hair all spiky. Chancing a look at Hikari, she clearly thought something similar.

Introductions were made quickly and the hosts were soon asking them a few question, with Hikari's questions last, knowing she had family in the Nami Agency.

"So why did you choose to go to the Shining Academy?" Chiyo asked, settling on a stool on the set.

"At first, it was because I wanted to go with my cousin, but then it became a way to get away from my Gran's farm." Hikari huffed a small chuckle. "Her chickens don't really like me that much and have gotten out of the pen a lot, so I figured I'd be much safer at the Academy."

"You're scared of chickens?" Yamato asked, eyebrows up in an unimpressed animals.

"Have you ever been chased before? It's like being chased by a small fluffy demon with a beak. I'd rather be stuck in a pen with an alligator." She shrugged. "My chances would be gone quicker, less pain."

Tomochika laughed and Daiki asked, "What about Ringo-sensei?"

"I'd rather face the chickens." They all shook their heads at her quick response.

"Shining-san, when bringing you up, mentioned you're half Korean." At her nod, Chiyo continued. "Are there any games we could maybe play?"

Hikari hummed. "Well, a simple one could be "Word Chain." You say a word and take the last syllable to make a new one. For instance, Nana _mi_  would lead to  _Mi_ nami. No word can be repeated in a round and it does have a tempo to it. If you fumble, take too long, or repeat, you're out and a new round starts."

"Could we try?" Shion suddenly asked, his face tinging slightly as they looked at him. "It sounds interesting."

Chiyo and Kenta looked at the producers and earned a nod. "Who wants to start off?"

"Why not Hikari-san?" Chiyo suggested. "She can show us the tempo."

Hikari glanced at the teens then nodded, clapping slowly. "Clockwise? Umi."  **(ocean)**

"Misaki," Daiki provided.  **(Blossom)**

"Kiru," Tomochika said.  **(Wear)**

Kenta squinted. "Runa."  **(Luna)**

Chiyo spoke, "Nana."  **(Vegetables)**

"Natsu," Eiji added.  **(Summer)**

"Tsumetai," Shion murmured.  **(Cold)**

"Taijutsu," Yamato said slowly, squinting at Shion.  **(Body Techniques)**

"Tsuki," Hikari.  **(Moon)**

"Kimo." Daiki.  **(Liver)**

"Momo." Tomochika.  **(Peach)**

"Moji." Kenta.  **(Script)**

"Jisho." Chiyo.  **(Dictionary)**

"Shoyu." Eiji.  **(Soy Sauce)**

"Yume." Shion.  **(Dream)**

"Megane." Yamato.  **(Glasses)**

"Neko." Hikari.  **(Cat)**

"Koko." Daiki.  **(Here)**

"Kowai." Tomochika.  **(Scary)**

"Wai…" Kenta faltered then scowled. "Is there even a word beginning with that?"

"There's " _waiter"_ but it's English," Eiji said and looked at Hikari in confusion.

"No language switching. Sorry, Kenta-san, but you're out." The man pretended to collapse in grief before straightening, switching seats with Yamato. "Chiyo-san, start us off, please."

"Ichigo," Chiyo said.  **(Strawberry)**

"Gogatsu." Yamato.  **(May)**

"Tsuna." Eiji.  **(Rope)**

"Nashi." Shion.  **(Pear)**

"Shishi." Hikari.  **(Lion)**

"Shika." Daiki.  **(Deer)**

"Kaze." Tomochika.  **(Wind)**

The game slowly went on, with people fumbling words until only Hikari and Yamato were left and Tomochika swore sparks were flying between the two.

Yamato had just passed it on to Hikari, smirking smugly when she promptly said, "Tatakai."

He froze up, bewildered then glowered. "You wanna go?"

"Go on a date?" Hikari returned with a witty snap. "Only if you pay."

Tomochika burst out laughing at the dumbfounded look on Yamato's face. Daiki was chuckling along with Chiyo, Kenta, and Eiji and Shion was shaking his head with a very faint smile.

"Now, now," Chiyo cut in, grinning. "I don't think your presidents would be happy with that."

"Worth a shot," Hikari chirped, swinging her feet as she winked obnoxiously at Yamato, earning a scowl.

"Well," Kenta began with a chuckle. "Because the game went on for longer than expected, we'll have to skip to the second part."

Hikari, when they moved to the next location, darted over to speak with the producers, babbling apologies and Tomochika laughed with Daiki.

"At least no cuss words flew," Daiki said as they walked. "Hikari-chan was looking a bit irritated near the end."

"But we know another game to keep an eye on back at the dorms," Tomochika pointed out. "Can't cut it quite yet."

"You guys play games in you dorms?" Eiji asked curiously. He smiled apologetically, but she waved it off.

"Yeah. Stuff like karaoke, DDR," Tomochika began. "Poker - we use candy or IOUs - uh, some of the Korean games Kari brings out of her room."

"Mario games on the systems," Daiki added. "Some board games, except for monopoly."

She looked at him. "Did the window ever get fixed?"

"I think so. I mean, it was after the debuts…" He trailed off, noticing the five stares. "Uh."

"Somebody broke a window over monopoly?" Yamato asked, baffled.

Tomochika silently shared a look with Daiki, both picturing calm, solemn Tokiya and she snorted despite herself, both glancing away with quiet laughter. "Y-yeah."

"Who broke a window?" Hikari asked, jogging over and falling into step.

"M-monopoly," Daiki coughed out and she shook her head.

"We almost died, Tomo-chan, you shouldn't be laughing about that," she chided even as she grinned.

"Ryuya-sensei nearly bust a gut," Tomochika retorted, grin starting to hurt.

"Only because I yowled like a cat while in my calico onesie," Hikari drawled.

"... onesie?" Shion voiced, blinking.

"Onesie." The girls shared grins.

_**-AA-** _

Hikari listened as the hosts began pointing out the obstacle course they'd be doing and bounced in place with a wide grin. "This is going to be fun," she declared.

Yamato let out his own chuckle, a vicious grin on his face. "It is… so long as you can reach, midget."

"That's what jumping is for."

"Are those acupressure mats?" Tomochika cut in, pointing at the ground by the rock wall.

"Yep! We borrowed the idea from a South Korean variety show after hearing Hikari-san would be joining us." Chiyo chuckled as Hikari mock preened. "The very same ones, in fact."

A maniacal laugh left her as Tomochika and Daiki sputtered. "You're joking!" Daiki blurted out in horror.

"We have to run this barefoot?" Tomochika wheezed, looking at her feet in terror.

"Yep!" Kenta said cheerfully, shaking his head as Hikari shook in quiet laughter. "I take it you three have experienced it already?"

Daiki and Tomochika wordlessly glared at Hikari, who merely wiggled her brows. "At least it isn't hopscotch."

"I will punt you," Tomochika warned.

Kenta coughed lightly and they smiled apologetically at him. "Sorry."

The three from Raging were shaking their heads slightly, but focused on the directions.

"Alright! All six of you will start on different paths." Kenta pointed them out. "The complementary colors are what you'll follow. Orange and blue, red and green, purple and yellow. Choose a number and color. The things you get from the rockwall will assist you in the last task."

Hikari shared looks with the others before heading to orange, since it matched her hair more and blue was usually a good color on her. "Four!" She called out.

Tomochika rushed to the red, blowing a raspberry at Yamato who had stepped towards it. "One!"

He scowled lightly before hurrying towards the yellow. "Five."

Daiki called out next. "Two." His was purple.

Shion chose blue. "Three."

Eiji was last and chose green. "Six."

They were told to take and put their mics on their colored starting spots, near their socks and shoes.

"Let's start with one. Tomochika-san, go!" Chiyo called.

_**-AA-** _

Tomochika glanced at Kenta. "Is this timed?" He shook his head and she sighed. "No rush then." She eyed the way Hikari and Yamato were eyeing each other and shook her head, starting towards the stretchy ties.

They were looped around a jungle gym that had wide spaces that were cut into smaller spaces and she carefully wiggled her way through it, squawking in alarm as her foot caught and she tumbled into a roll, sitting up and moving to her feet, looking over her ankle before moving to the large water area with water lilies. Tomochika eyed the pads before hopping, choosing a path that would help her get to the red path on the other side. Luckily, the things Hikari had put her through made it easy to jump from pad to pad, but she still sighed with relief when she landed safely on flat, unmoving surface.

Reaching the climbing structure, she moved up the steps and slid down the pole, nearly smacking into the steps on the other side and hurried to the roundabout, spinning to the rockwall when she stopped and froze, blinking away the dizziness. Tomochika started again only to stop and stare hard at the mat.

"Get to it, Tomo-chan!"

"Buzz off!" She yelled back at her friend, jabbing a threatening finger and moved, growling out fruits in the form of cursing before she got to the wall, climbing carefully and grabbing the small red bag and headed back down. The mat slipped her mind until she landed a couple inches above and lurched forward, screeching helplessly as her palms collided.

Her friend burst into cackling laughter and she scrambled off, staggering like she was drunk or beyond dizzy, heading towards Eiji and collapsing by him with a whine.

_**-AA-** _

Daiki winced as Tomochika hit the ground before holding an arm up and nodding to Kenta.

The first three paths, one, two, and three, had the same obstacles and he faltered a reaching the lily pads before choosing the wimpy way out and settled on his haunches, pulling the nearest one closer to the edge and crawled on. Hikari's laughter muffled and he figured she was covering her face, his lips twitched. Sitting on the pad, he looked where he needed to go and saw a mostly clear path. Facing the way he came, he kicked off the edge and waited till he spun to a pad closer to the wall and crawled along them until he was out, standing and moving to the roundabout, spinning slowly unlike Tomochika.

He reached the wall and stared at the mat, tossing the producers and hosts a wounded look before moving over it quickly, muttering, "One more step, one more step, one more step!"

Making it to the wall, Daiki huffed weakly as he climbed it, wincing at the strain and figured, if he was already exercising with Hikari, he might as well do so with Masato and Tokiya since they didn't go all out like Otoya and Syo. Daiki flailed a bit before grabbing the purple bag and squawked just like Tomochika had when landing on the mat and staggered his way over to Yamato, sitting down and rubbing his feet, making a face at the tingling sensation.

"Is it really that bad?" Yamato asked curiously.

Blinking at him, Daiki shrugged. "Kind of. I mean…" He squinted as Shion untangled himself from the ties. "It's kind of like stepping on Lego, but less hazardous to your health. Hikari likes using them with Syo for yoga, the maniacs."

He felt no remorse at poking the back of Yamato's knee and making him stagger, copying Hikari and ignoring the glare (honestly, Ringo was way more terrifying).

_**-AA-** _

Shion's eyes widened and he yelped lightly as he staggered onto the mat, cringing and colliding with the wall and pulled himself off of it, toes pressing into the holds as he shook a foot out. He'd underestimated the spin he'd done on the roundabout. Collecting his bag, he made his way down and looked between the distance of when he was and where the mat ended. Taking a risk, he pushed off the wall and landed a bit too hard on his feet, but managed to jog over where Hikari was (all three from Shining had said to use their first names).

The girl bounced even more, eyes bright as he stopped beside her. "I''m goin'! Bouncing once more, she darted past him to the wall.

Tomochika squealed when she bounced on the mat and Shion smiled faintly in amusement at her horrified expression. "Hikari, stop that, you're hurting my feet!"

_**-AA-** _

Hikari swung up with ease, taking the bag and dropping from the wall into a crouch. Tomochika screeched in horror and she laughed as she headed to the roundabout, spinning quickly and stopping it sharply and jumped onto a lily, sending water up and she continued to move hazardously, absently wondering if she could get something like somewhere.

Nearly falling over the steps when she reached stasis land, she took the steps two at a time and swung down the pole, making her way to the ties, which she practically threw herself into, gymnastics put to good use. Leaving it with a cartwheel, she jogged over to the blue.

_**-AA-** _

Yamato barely put his arm up before moving towards the wall, easily jumping the short distance to the wall, easily avoiding the mat as he pulled himself up, snagging the second to last bag and dropping, a startled curse flying past his lips as he forgot the mat. He staggered, nearly falling to his knees and making his way to the roundabout. It really did feel like stepping on Legos.

He hopped onto the lilies like Hikari had, making his way easily to the structure and moving up it quickly then down. Yamato… was slightly ashamed to say he struggled through the ties and he felt his face burning slightly as Hikari began giggling.

He cast a dark glare at her.

_**-AA-** _

Eiji shook his head as Hikari began poking at Yamato and headed over to the wall, nervously stepping onto the mat and making a face as he stepped to the wall. He could hear Tomochika making dramatic noises as he climbed, grabbed the bag, and hurried down, yelping as he stepped across the mat and hurriedly spun on the roundabout. Unfortunately, he didn't give himself enough time to catch his bearing…

"Ack!"

And slipped on a lily pad, falling into the water with a flailed sputter.

Bursting out of the water, he coughed and wiped helplessly at his face. Blinking rapidly, Eiji pulled himself onto a pad and was relieved he'd stuck the bag into his pocket. Copying Daiki, he crawled on them and cringed at how all of his clothes were soaked. At reaching and climbing up the structure, he gave a wary look at the pole and headed to the steps on the other side, not knowing nor caring if it wasn't allowed (he didn't want to be injured because of it). Surprisingly, after passing through the ties, he didn't get into trouble.

Chiyo looked him over with Kenta, making sure he was okay before they continued. "Alright, now first, you'll get in partners. It was by complementary pairings, so Hikari-san and Shion-kun, Yamato-kun and Daiki-kun, and Eiji-kun and Tomochika-san."

"We'll let you get changed into full swimwear before heading to the next part," Kenta added. The six teens nodded, looking at their partners curiously.

_**-AA-** _

Tomochika fixed her swim shorts before settling in a chair beside Eiji. The two were in a different area of the others and she listened to the producer as he spoke.

"This is the Halloween special," the man began and indicated the spooky decorations. "Pull out your items."

Hers was a doll, like the one from an America film and nearly dropped it in her surprise. Eiji's was a clown and she shivered, hissing, "Dolls."

Eiji let out a small, slightly wavery laugh. "Are these clues?" He asked the producer curiously.

"Yes. You'll be needing to find the corresponding pieces to them. The clown requires something he sorely needs to change from scary to funny. The doll needs something to change from creepy to cute. It can be anywhere here in the resort areas and will be in the same colored container. Afterwards, an announcement will go on of who got their items and can be taken out of the game via omamori charms you will find. The last person standing will win with their partner."

Eyeing the doll warily, she wondered what it needed.

_**-AA-** _

Daiki eyed the tiny mannequin he'd gotten and looked over at Yamato's torn paper. His mannequin had something like a suit on and Daiki figured it was supposed to be Slenderman. "I think mine needs papers, like in the video game."

"What about mine?" Yamato asked, lifting up the paper and Daiki squinted at it.

"I think it's from Corpse Party, the Sachiko charm. You'll need the other half of the paper body." Daiki couldn't help muttering, "That was a really creepy game."

"But you still played it," Yamato stated, smirking as Daiki blushed and looked away.

"It was fun…"

_**-AA-** _

Hikari looked over the mask she had received. "Oni… oni… what would I need? A prayer?"

Shion looked at the oni mask and nodded. "I believe so. It's said to be the only thing to get rid of them. Do you know what mine is?"

She tilted her head and considered the mask. "I'm pretty sure that's a wendigo mask. Maybe vegetarian stuff since they're cannibals in many myths?"

They looked at each other blankly then shrugged in unison.

_**-AA-** _

Tomochika screamed as a mannequin popped out of a locker, smacking into Eiji and the camera guy for the male in her haste to back away. She simply collapsed by their legs, wheezing. Eiji was letting out strangled noises and she kind of watched as he lurched and snagged the green bag, nearly tripping trying to sidestep her.

"Please… please, say we can go to one of the open areas," she partly begged, letting him tug her up to her feet so they could walk out of the check in area.

"Yes… yes, we'll, uh, stop there for a five minute break." He dropped flat onto a bench and she copied him on a nearby one, motioning for the cameramen to sit down.

"And you two," she jabbed a finger at her cameraman, "Don't think I didn't see you, you tried to leave us."

"Sorry… kind of." Tomochika let out a helpless giggle.

_**-AA-** _

Yamato swore violently, feeling Daiki latch onto his side as something like a zombie lurched from the shadows. "Dammit, I nearly decked you!" He barked. "What's wrong with you?!"

He grabbed Daiki and tossed him over his shoulder after forcing the other teen to hold the yellow bag, storming away to find somewhere they could take a break and breath without panicking.

" **HIKARI AND SHION HAVE FOUND AMATERASU'S WREATH. TOMOCHIKA, EIJI, DAIKI, AND YAMATO CAN BE TAKEN FROM THE GAME. I REPEAT, HIKARI AND SHION HAVE FOUND AMATERASU'S WREATH AND THE OTHER TEAMS CAN BE TAKEN OUT."**

A strangled laugh left Daiki. "Of course she'd find it. We're doomed."

"Over my dead body."

_**-AA-** _

Shion blinked at the wreath, wariness and mild exasperation filling him. "I don't think they meant for the wreath to be used like this."

"I haven't been told that yet, nor have I been told that I can't. Until it does, I'll use it like this." He sighed at her words. Hikari dropped the red and purple bag in the middle of the wreath and dusted her hands, her orange bags, tied to her shorts like his blue ones. "Ready? Let's go hide."

"Where?" He asked, jogging after her to the larger pool area.

She tossed a bright, wicked smile back at him and pointed up. He followed her finger and faltered. "They have camera sticks to."

"You're crazy."

"I get that a lot. C'mon!"

_**-AA-** _

Tomochika spotted Daiki and Yamato coming down the hall just before she spotted the two colored bags. She figured it was a trap but bolted to them anyway, wanting to get out of the creepy place. Yamato copied her and they smacked into each other, toppling and grappling to grab their bags first. It wasn't ladylike at all, but the nerves were getting to her. Eiji and Daiki arrived, flailing at each other before simply grabbing the bags. They all froze when the intercom came on once more.

" **TOMOCHIKA, EIJI, DAIKI, AND YAMATO HAVE BEEN TAKEN OUT BY AMATERASU'S WREATH. I REPEAT, TOMOCHIKA, EIJI, DAIKI, AND YAMATO HAVE BEEN TAKEN OUT BY AMATERASU'S WREATH."**

The four shared bewildered looks then Daiki cried out, pointing at the ground. "They pulled the wreath apart!"

Tomochika groaned, realizing they'd been outfoxed and flopped off of Yamato. "It was inevitable. Kari's too crazy to beat."

The two producers following the pairs got their attention. "We'll be having the ending ceremony at the large pool."

"You'll be cutting out when we swore, right?" Yamato asked, sitting up.

"Of course."

Tomochika let out a sigh of relief with him and they exchanged grins as they got to their feet, following the producers to the pool. They looked over to see the third and final producer, the man hiding his face and laughing with the other staff. She looked around for Hikari and Shion, frowning when she didn't spot them.

"You can come out now!" The producer called out, laughter still escaping.

"Coming!" Tomochika felt her eyes widen as a camera stick came flying and an assistant caught her. Her jaw dropped as Hikari appeared on top of one of the inflatable slides, high up in the air. Her friend climbed down and jumped down onto the large pool trampoline, bouncing. Tomochika looked up to see Shion coming down, face paler than it had been earlier.

He cried out in alarm as his foot slipped and fell safely to the trampoline, only to send Hikari high into the air, earning a startled shriek that was cut off by the sound of Hikari hitting the water hard.

She bolted over with Yamato, dropping into the pool to grab a flailing Hikari. He reached her first and pulled her up by the back of her shirt. Tomochika moved to ask if she was okay when Hikari blurted out, "That was so cool! Lemme do it again!"

Yamato had to block Tomochika from drowning the other girl.

_**-AA-** _

"Hey!" The boys of Raging Agency stopped in walking to their van, turning to look as Hikari, Tomochika, and Daiki came up. Hikari had been the one to call out.

"Yes?" Eiji blinked at them, Shion and Yamato to either side of him

"Will you give us your numbers?" Hikari asked bluntly, her hair still wet and making her shiver. Something Daiki noticed and swooped a scarf around her, earning a yelp.

"Despite us being rival industries?" Shion voiced in mild confusion, something Eiji understood from his father's brusqueness. People from other companies didn't really care for it.

"We're only rivals in industry," Tomochika pointed out. "We can still go out in public if we get disguises."

Daiki smiled hopefully. "Please. I'd like to have a few more sane people in my circle of friends."

"Oi, why are you looking at me like that?" Tomochika pouted at him. "I'm nothing like her." She jabbed a thumb at Hikari.

Eiji smiled softly as the girls fell into easy banter and pulled his phone out, handing it to Daiki. "I think I'd like that."

"Us, too," Yamato said, then paused looking at Hikari. "You know my brother? Personally?"

"Who, Ryuya-sensei?" Hikari snickered. "Even better. I have blackmail. And I'll share."

Shion made a noise of protest as he handed her back her phone. "please don't. He has too much blackmail already."

Hikari grinned. "Don't you know, doll? Blackmail makes the world go round. Text ya later!"

The trio waved and hurried off. Eiji smiled down at the three new contacts before following his friends into the van.

* * *

Shining was smiling as he finished watching the episode three of his employees had participated in and looked over at the plaque Hikari had won and given to him, along with a framed photo.

A silver plaque with "On The Flipside Winner" above the show's twisting arrows logo.

His eyes shifted to the photograph of the six kids and the two hosts on either end. Hikari stood in the middle with Shion, hands linked as they held up the mask keychains that had acted as the little clues. Yamato was ruffling Hikari's hair with Daiki slightly in front of him and Tomochika had her arms thrown over Shion and Eiji's shoulders, holding up peace signs. All eight were smiling, the two girls beaming. Daiki had a bright smile along with Chiyo and Kenta while Yamato was grinning viciously. Shion and Eiji were the only ones with calm smiles.

He was reminded of his old group of friends and figured he would call them up soon. Actually, being reminded of the UtaPri awards, Shining wondered if Raging would be participating with one of his groups. He'd have to quietly ask around...

* * *

****This whole chapter was original… is it okay? Did I keep the future (present?) members of HEAVENS in character (kinda/sorta/not one bit)? The "Word Chain" game is one I've seen repeatedly on Running Man, a South Korean variety show, and I kinda had to twist it around since Japan has a completely different alphabet. Same with the acupressure mat, those were on the show, too.** **

**I can't think of anything else right now, but I hope you enjoyed the chapter! And you can count on those three reappearing from time to time!**

**See you next time!**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This whole chapter was original… is it okay? Did I keep the future (present?) members of HEAVENS in character (kinda/sorta/not one bit)? The "Word Chain" game is one I've seen repeatedly on Running Man, a South Korean variety show, and I kinda had to twist it around since Japan has a completely different alphabet. Same with the acupressure mat, those were on the show, too.
> 
> I can't think of anything else right now, but I hope you enjoyed the chapter! And you can count on those three reappearing from time to time!
> 
> See you next time!


	22. Twenty-Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs. They belong to their respective artist(s).
> 
> Boys sing in BOLD  
> Girls sing in ITALICS  
> Both genders sing in BOTH

The day of his birthday, Cecil screamed and headbutted Hikari when she hovered over him, sending her back holding her forehead in pain.

"I told you not to loom over him," Camus said dryly and earned a pained noise.

"I didn't think he'd react like that," she whined and he rolled over to the edge of the bed, rubbing his forehead and eyeing her.

"Why are you here?" He asked groggily and blanched at the suddenly exuberant smile on her face.

Hikari planted a kiss on the forehead and slid a piece of paper beside his torso. "Happy Birthday, Cat Prince!"

Pushing himself up, he picked up the paper and she beamed from her kneeling position. "My song?"

She nodded and stood. "Yep! Got it finished yesterday, but we came back too late. And, of course, it made for a good birthday present." Hikari and him looked over to see a slightly impatient Camus and she hugged him quickly. "I'll see you later. Have a good day, you two!"

Cecil shook his head as she jerked Camus into a hug and dodged the flick before bolting to the room laughing. His fingers traced the notes and smiled, wondering what lyrics he should put beneath them. He didn't notice Camus's considering stare.

"Hey," Cecil said suddenly, looking at Camus in confusion. "Did you tell Hikari when my birthday was?"

"No, why would I?" Camus looked at him strangely before continuing to pack and Cecil looked at the music sheet in bewilderment.

' _Then how did she find out when my birthday was?'_ He thought in mild confusion as he slid from his bed.

* * *

Hikari stretched and heaved a sigh, breathing in the fall air as she looked around the resort area. Her friends were murmuring in awe. Honestly, she'd always prefer the outdoors, even as it got colder. Speaking of…

She eyed her friends weirdly. "You guys are seriously going to get wet in the creek? When it's this cold?"

Otoya bumped their shoulders, grinning. "Just because you can't stand the cold doesn't mean we can't."

"I can stand the cold," she corrected. "I just don't want to."

"Wimp." Syo squawked as she tripped him, heading to her cabin. "See you at the barbecue!"

_**-AA-** _

Startling at the sound of a thud above their heads, Ranmaru scowled at seeing the composer on their roof. "Oi! What're ya doin' up there?!"

Nanami peered down at them sheepishly. "Sorry. I can't stand being stuffed in a small cabin. My room is bigger than the cabin."

"Cabin fever?" Ai mused quietly. She dropped onto the porch.

"I guess you could say that, but not really. Rei-senpai, mind if I join you? I can focus on my composing while fishing," she wondered with hope on her face.

Reiji brightened. "Sure! Hey, Masa-yan said you gave people your extra songs…?" He trailed off as she flipped, curled into a ball before landing in a crouch on the porch.

Smirking, she replied, "I do have some if you want to go through them. You guys, too." Glancing at Reiji, she pointed into the forest. "Wanna head to the creek over there? STARISH isn't over there, so less distraction and noise."

The two headed off, Nanami dropping a folder on the table. He eyed it warily before picking it up with a sigh and standing.

"You're going to choose some of the songs?" Ai asked, head tilting.

He scoffed. "No. I just don't want those brats scolding me for losing her songs. It's a pain to hear 'em gripe. And, I don't know if you saw the show she was on, but she's got a crazy thing for glitter and I do not want it near me." Ranmaru grimaced at the thought of his clothes being covered in pink glitter.

_**-AA-** _

Reiji peered over as Hikari growled lowly and threw yet another paper ball at the ground. "What's wrong?"

Her eyes blinked at him distractedly before she turned to her sheets. "I have some kind of block for this."

"It's for STARISH, right? What kind of block are you hitting?" He asked as he gently dumped the fish back into the creek.

"It's missing something," she said with a sigh.

"Mmm… well, maybe you need to take a break," Reiji suggested. "I think the boys were planning a barbecue. Let's go put our stuff away."

He slugged the stuff over his shoulders and stepped closer. She offered him a faint smile. "I think I'll stay a while. You can head back first."

Pouting, he nodded. "Alright. Just make sure you come in time or I'll eat your share."

"I brought glitter with me, senpai, you really want to test me?" She teased, grinning and waving him on.

"If it means I get more food…" Reiji laughed, dodging a paper ball and jogging back to the cabins.

_**-AA-** _

Hikari jogged through the woods, scowling to herself. ' _I can't believe I lost track of time like that!'_ Huffing to herself, she slowed at seeing Cecil. "Hey, Cecil!"

He didn't respond.

She promptly moved closer, kneeling beside him. "Hey, what's wrong? What're you doing here? It's time for dinner, let's go together, ne?"

"I can't."

"Eh?" A squeak left her as he tugged her onto his lap, pressing his cheek against her head. She looped her arms around his back, hugging him.

"I can't hold back anymore," he said. Her brows furrowed in confusion. "I can't hold back my feelings anymore. I love you." He eyes went wide. "I came here to make you happy… only you… and yet I - I can't forget all their smiles. I want to see smiles on all kinds of people, not just yours. I want to become an idol. I want to become an idol and make lots of people happy."

Her lips curled into a wide smile as she pulled away, cupping his cheeks. "Really?"

"I'm sorry, Hikari, I've failed at being your prince." His eyes were down, so he hadn't seen her smile.

"Goofball. You'd be more of a prince if you did became an idol." She pulled him into a hug again, arms over his shoulders. "It's way more princely to make people happy… and you've already given me something valuable, even before wanting to become an idol."

"The formation of STARISH." His arms tightened slightly.

"Cecil, please become an idol. Honestly, I've been thinking for a while how brilliant it'd be if you became an idol, because I know you'd be an amazing idol who made people happy," Hikari said gently.

He pulled away, looking into her eyes. "Hikari, are you sure?"

She pressed their foreheads together. "I support you and whatever you choose."

"Arigato."

_**-AA-** _

"Eh?! Cecil wants to become an idol?" Syo exclaimed.

Hikari nodded, snatching up a crab cake before darting back biting into it with glee.

"Why not? Reiji smiled cheerfully. "I'll support him."

"He does have the right character," Ai mentioned.

Ranmaru scoffed. "It was just a casual suggestion. I can't have people become idols over something like that."

Masato glanced at him before looking up. "He has been studying seriously. That must have been what is was about - Hikari, stop stealing."

"Sorry," she mumbled, but still snagged the roll basket and ducking behind Reiji.

"Could he have been wondering about it for a while?" Otoya wondered, snickering as Syo grabbed Hikari into a chokehold, passing the basket to Ren and squawking as she took him down.

"Ah," Natsuki smacked his fist into his palm. "Now that you mention it, he hasn't spent any time since coming here with us."

"Where is Cesshi?" Ren asked, untangling his grappling friends and holding Hikari up by her hoodie.

She deadpanned. "He said his heart was so full he didn't want to eat anything."

"His… heart was full…" Syo deadpanned, too. "Unbelievable. After insisting he didn't want to be an idol… Alright! Let's go tease him after we eat!"

Hikari snickered and lightly nudged Ren, who put her on the ground as Otoya let out an, "Eh?!"

Tokiya nodded sagely. "Well, he can't help being teased for this."

She shook her head as her boys began laughing and accepted the plate Reiji passed to her.

_**-AA-** _

Hikari glanced over at the forest, smiling lightly and waved at Camus as she jogged off to find her friends, bag swinging on her side. She sped into a run and happily jumped onto Otoya's back, beaming up at the stars. "Aren't they clear?"

"Ah," Masato hummed. "You can't see them well in the heart of the city."

She pointed up. "You see that red star there? That's Aldebaran, a star in the Taurus constellation. Above it Pleiades cluster and by the lowest horn is the Crab Nebula."

"What other constellations are there?" Syo asked curiously, leaning against her and Otoya.

"There's Orion!" Natsuki pointed out.

"And by Orion is Gemini!" She added. "See that one star? That's the North Star, connected to Ursa Minor." A small sigh left her and she dropped her head onto Otoya's shoulder. "They're even prettier at the farm, with the wildflowers blowing their scent around in the wind. No obstruction blocking them from view."

"We should see if we can get a break sometime during the spring or summer," Tokiya mused.

"Oh, by the way, how's the song coming, Kari," Syo asked, tilting his head back to look at her.

"I've got a few, but nothing that satisfies me." Her lips pursed as she slid from Otoya's back. "I think I'm missing something, but I don't know what."

"Well, you still have time," Masato stated. "So don't worry too much."

"We'll support you." Tokiya smiled softly at her.

"I'll do my best," she promised them, eyes shifting back up to find Taurus, wondering if Haruka was cheering her on.

_**-AA-** _

Her head lifted and she tilted it as she listened to Cecil, falling into step with her friends as they followed his voice to a bridge and she blinked, the boys stepping past to join in as back up singers. Eyes widening, she realized what she'd been missing for their song. Hikari twitched when Reiji, Ranmaru, Ai, and Camus stepped up, the former two in yukatas. Her attention was dragged to a pink, glowing heart and she held up her hands, watching as it burst at contact into a bunch of music notes, music notes from the first staff on Cecil's song. ' _Muse… arigato.'_

Then she blinked rapidly, wondering for a moment just how it was all possible and figured the Muses were conspiring with Shining about STARISH and how to make people happy. Then she blinked again, realization hitting hard.

" _IT WAS YOU!"_ She erupted in Kazakh, making them all jump as she jabbed a finger dangerously at Cecil, making him freeze like a deer, slinking sideways behind Natsuki. " _IT WAS YOUR VOICE THAT WAS MISSING!_ " She switched to curses in all five languages she knew and vanished from the bridge, heading to start writing because dammit, Cecil was going to be a part of STARISH and she'd let those idiots of hers figure it out.

Her fingers were already shifting in the air, playing air piano.

_**-AA-** _

Twirling her pencil, Hikari ran all the times she'd heard Cecil sing, along with Otoya, Syo, Masato, Ren, Tokiya, and Natsuki. She bobbed her head in time, a melody slowly forming, Cecil's voice adding to the harmony and she grinned hugely, notes jotted down slowly and steadily. At one point she paused and looked at her window, feeling something shift, but couldn't place it. Lips pursing, Hikari set it to the side for the moment and went back to composing.

* * *

"Hey!" Natsuki heard Hikari call out. "You guys made breakfast?"

"Yeah, we- What the hell happened to you?!" Syo blurted out, goggling her horrible appearance.

She glanced down at her rumpled clothes, her hair stuck in a really messy bun, and her feet were bare, shoes hanging in her hands. "What?"

"You look like you went for a tumble down the hill!"

Ren put his stuff down and leaned closer to her face. "Did you not sleep?" Masato moved past him and tugged her hair free, finger brushing the strands and plaiting it.

"I got your guys' song done." Natsuki's eyes went wide.

"All night?" He wondered and she nodded, rolling her eyes sheepishly. "Hah! I felt the same way! The harmony excited me so much I could barely sleep!"

"You were up all night, too," Syo muttered.

"So were you," Natsuki returned, grinning widely as his cute friend began to sputter.

"Aahh, I want to sing with Cecil," Otoya blurted, bouncing slightly.

"I agree," Masato said and Tokiya hummed in agreement.

"Ne, Kari-chan, did you Cecil-kun on your way here?" Natsuki asked.

"Uh-uh. But, I also went through the forest." She recoiled from Masato when the teen held out a vine, scowling slightly at him.

"I'll go get him then, so we can eat." Natsuki shifted and blinked as he spotted Camus.

"Aijima is no longer here," he said.

"Eh?" The more verbal members of the group said, blinking collectively at him.

_**-AA-** _

"He returned to Agnapolis to inherit the throne," Camus said as Hikari touched the music sheet and stared oddly at the necklace. It seemed to flicker even as she looked at it, reminding her of the fireflies that usually appeared. Her eyes closed as she gently picked up the necklace, saying a silent prayer. ' _I will hold and keep his necklace safe until he returns, Lady Euterpe.'_

She slid it onto her neck and let it rest beside her own necklace, absently noting his was a darker blue, and turned to her friends, noticing Camus had left at some point. "He'll come back," Hikari cut Tokiya off, smiling faintly. Sliding past them, she added, "Trust me."

_**-AA-** _

Dressing in warmer clothes, her hair remaining in the plait, she settled on her bench and looked over the new song, tapping a high note on the piano. The necklace warmed on her chest and her fingers began moving along the keys. It came to an end and she jerked over more sheets, pencil moving as she copied it over to the sheets, wanting to pass out six of the parts at least since Cecil wasn't there, but she set his aside in a folder.

Sliding paper clips over the ones for a single person, she stood and headed to her door, tugging it open and nearly screaming when Natsuki nearly popped her in the head. "Oi!"

He flailed. "Sorry, Kari-chan! I was going to knock!"

"It's fine," she huffed, nudging him back as she left her cabin and shut the door. "C'mon, the song is really done now."

"Really?" Natsuki made grabby hands that she fought back as they moved down the steps.

"Stop it," Hikari chided and bounced over to the others, swiftly passing them out and taunted Natsuki by wiggling his, then ducking behind someone. She and Tokiya squawked when Natsuki simply reached over Tokiya and grabbed Hikari, squishing Tokiya between them and snatching his music sheets. A sputter left her as she staggered away from Tokiya. "Seriously?"

"Let's get started!" Otoya cried out, bouncing gleefully. "We can leave Cecil's parts blank!"

_**-AA-** _

Hikari sprawled out on a rock, acting like a snake sunning itself, and watched with idle curiosity as Shining appeared on a motorboat, Ryuya driving with Ringo in the other seat.

Shining flipped through the air before landing beside Otoya, pulling his son in a greeting hug (she recalled when they told the people in the agency and held back a snicker as Tokiya took on a pained expression) and released him.

"I bring you all some good news. You're next song has been decided," he began and she coughed, getting his attention.

"Did you see the one I emailed you?" Hikari called and he paused.

"You sent one over email?" At her nod, he stilled then turned to Ringo. "I have an email?"

"Old geezer," she grumbled into the rock, propping herself onto an elbow.

Ringo looked at him flatly. "Yes, Shiny, it's what you use on your PDA."

"I do?" Shining began patting his pockets, pulled his phone and PDA. He put his phone back and stared at the PDA before wordlessly holding out to Ringo, who sighed and poked at the screen.

"Old geezer~" Hikari sang out and Shining gave her a flat look.

"Here," Ringo said, passing it back and Shining accepted looking it over and frowned.

"This is a song for seven people," he said slowly.

"I think you already know the seventh person," she drawled.

"He's gone to start a new life-"

"Life can change in seconds-"

"Is this going to be a repeat?"

"Yep! Time, old man. It can be repetitive at times."

Shining stared at her hard and promptly switched topics. "You've been nominated for the UtaPri awards!" All eyes focused on him immediately, stopping their tennis game between flicking to Hikari and him. He easily ignored her quiet snickering.

"Chincha?!" The more verbal members cried out, not noticing their Korean slippage (Hikari cackled quietly into her palms, realizing she'd rubbed off on them a lot).  **(Seriously)**

A laugh left the man as he began explaining. Something she'd heard from her aunt Rin when the Ripplers had been in it (it actually kinda sounded like the exact same words and she eyed him suspiciously).

"Miss Nanami!"

"Hai?"

"How long?"

"Eh?" She blinked.

"How long will it be till life changes?" His head tilted and she hummed.

The necklace warmed and she smirked. "Orion isn't clear tonight." At their confused looks, she pointed up, seeing Cecil falling from a plane, parachute on his back. "Told you he'd come back."

Cecil called out via speakerphone. " **Saotome! Please, listen to this miraculous harmony before you make any more decisions!"**

Hikari slid from the rock to grab her portable piano and returned swiftly, startling Ren before he assisted her with the legs. She wordlessly handed the necklace over to Syo, who passed it to Cecil as he stepped closer to the boys.

Looking them over and noticing Shining give a slow nod, she began playing.

" **It's 2000% (Hey!), this amazing LOVE! (Get you!)**  
Let's start (Jump!), yes! This happy live (syun syun!)  
Thanks for waiting! In the star-filled sky, (We are ST RISH!)  
Love is a shooting star! 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!

 **I need you…** **S…  
I feel you…** **T…  
I miss you…** **A…  
I kiss you…** **R…  
I believe you…** **I…  
I hold you…** **S…  
I want you…** **H…**  
ST RISH forever!

 **Just like this, look,**  
It's overflowing!  
Give me,  
Give me your love. Give me, ah…  
Just 1000%  
Isn't enough!  
We'll give you  
2000% LOVE! (LOVE!)

 **With this song,**  
You'll be born again!  
Love is  
Explosive!  
Dance & Dance!

 **Can you hear it?**  
See?  
The voice of my heart  
Thank you!  
It's pulse is  
Beating with excitement!  
We are ST RISH! 3, 2, 1, let's go!  
Everyone will share this bond!

 **It's 2000% (Hey!), this amazing LOVE! (Get you!)**  
Just with you (Jump!), yes! This happy pulse! (syun syun!)  
This starlight revolution! We seriously love you! (Yes, we love you!)  
Forever…  
At max power, full throttle, we love you 2000%!  
Ba-Bang! Ta-dah! Love you!"

Hikari was grinning widely when she opened her eyes, smiling smugly when she noticed the surprised seniors and adults. She laughed gleefully as she threw herself at Masato and Syo, both smiling back.

"You're staying, right?" She demanded, twining her fingers in Cecil's shirt sleeve and he grinned at her.

"If you'll all have me," Cecil said and yelped as Otoya and Natsuki forced them all into a group hug.

"Of course!" Shining roared, scaring the hell out of all of them.

"Ohmygod, howdidweforgethim?" Otoya wheezed, sagging against Ren before they all moved to see the man.

"This song and the seven of you… As the president of Shining Agency, I cannot abandon that here. I shall officially name you again… The seven of you are… starting today, you are the new STARISH!" Shining grinned, tossing a hand out towards the group and Hikari beamed. "And this song… As soon as it came to me… the title of this song is Maji Love-"

"2000%!" STARISH chorused.

"My, my, my, you're starting to get the picture. Well, I must go speak with the officials concerning Mister Aijima…" Shining trailed off, seeing Hikari beaming even more and Cecil joining in. "Unless you two have dealt with it."

Cecil wordlessly produced a document and she giggled. "Oyaji's got more contacts than you, geezer."

Shining snatched the document and she cackled as he slumped. "I'm supposed to be ahead of people," he moped.

Syo and Otoya whooped loudly, the redhead picking up Cecil in his excitement and swinging the startled Prince around, promptly causing another group hug, this one only STARISH. Hikari laughed in glee, shaking her head as she slid back onto the rock, propping her elbows on her knees as she grinned. Her eyes widened at the sight of light pillars appearing, just like it had when STARISH initially debuted. Hikari tilted her head as she listened to the announcement, making note that it really was similar to when the Ripplers attended. A goofy grin formed when it was announced STARISH was one of the groups. She… was ashamed to say she goggled when HEAVENS appeared, seeing Otori Eiichi and noting the resemblance with Eiji. ' _He's got a brother?! They must be Raging's kids… Weird.'_

Vaguely, she listened to her boys speaking to each other as she pulled out her phone to call Eiji, taking a picture of the hologram and sending it to him.

Eiji chuckled as he answered. "Yes, he is my older brother."

"You're a little troll," she huffed, grinning despite herself. "Are you at their concert hall?"

"No. I'm with Yamato and Shion at a cafe. You said it was okay to use your card, right?" Eiji's tone tinged with worry.

"It's fine. I'm worse when I go out," she placated absently. They fell silent, listening to Eiichi, Nagi, and Kira. "Your brother and Nagi sound like little shits."

He choked, coughing and sputtering. "Hikari!"

"I like them already," she continued, snickering.

"No matter what happens, promise you won't egg them on," he pleaded, Yamato speaking in the background and the sound of scuffling came over the phone.

"Oi, midget, what'd you say to make Eiji try and drown me in hot chocolate?!" Yamato snapped.

"Eiichi and Nagi seem like little shits," she repeated quietly. "Cosmically cute - try saying that three times fast."

He snorted. "You're worse than they are, from what I've seen."

"I am."

"You're not supposed to agree!"

"Oops, oh well."

"You - ow!"

The phone made shifting noises. "Hikari?" Shion said quietly, ignoring Yamato's loud grumbling.

"Yo - oh, hell, is he trying to get me in the shot?" She jerked her feet up quickly, squirming back up to the very top of the rock and nearly falling off in her haste.

" **The UtaPri Committee, with the help of the Nami Agency, has come up with a specially prepared location, appropriate for a battle between the two groups!"** The man announced.

"Do you know anything about that?" Shion asked curiously, making her twitch. She'd forgotten he was on the phone, he was so quiet.

"No. Must be something big, then," she mumbled. "Crappy relatives."

"Hikari," he admonished lightly, but she knew he was amused.

Hikari stilled when Shining suddenly flipped over her, kneeling behind her and she quickly winked at the camera, sliding the phone to the side. "Miiisss Hikari Nanami!" He revealed the songs she had written for STARISH that she'd dropped off a while back, letting them hang loosely beside her head. "Her songs will be used as an condition of sorts!"

"Take one and arrange it however you wish," Hikari continued, easily understanding where he was going with having hung out with him a few times after the reveal. ' _Even though they were meant for_ _ **my**_   _boys…'_

Raging smirked over the hologram. " **I was wondering what you had in mind… It will only reveal the difference in strength. You have a deal!"**

Shining cackled. "This should be an interesting battle!"

She kept a calm smile on her lips till the whole thing ended, not even twitching a Raging's words. Not even Shining's (though she wanted to shove him off the rock).

"Shining," she whispered and he hummed as he stood up, papers disappearing.

"Yes?" He returned just as quietly and froze beneath her empty smile.

"The next time you want to get into Raging's pants, just proposition him." She beamed brightly as he released a series of choking, flustered noises, and shoved him off the rock. "Crap geezer."

"Uh… Hikari?" Shion said weakly.

"I broke Eiji, didn't I?"

"U-un…"

"Oops."

"You're not sorry at all."

"Not a bit."

"You're horrible."

"You find it funny."

"... I do…"

A giggle left her. "Is he still breathing?"

"Yes." A chuckle left him and there was the sound of a slap over the line.

"Oi, Eiji, snap out of it!" Yamato was heard barking and she cackled, earning puzzled looks from her friends.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song is from S2, E9, "Maji Love 2000%." Hmmm… First off, I think I should thank grapplingheart for help on the HEAVENS characterizations (not sure if you can tell, but I'm not good at writing the really quiet/formal/flirty people) otherwise I'd personally be SOL. Erm… Secondly, Hikari's concert will be different from an idol one, more like a 2 hour long kinda thing (never been to a concert myself, so I gotta wing it /.\\). Think that's it for now, unless anyone's got concerns or something similar.
> 
> See you next time!


End file.
